


Pain and Anguish

by 3rdgenderfromthesun



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Because it distracted me so I randomly wrote it into a chapter, Breeding, Derek isn't the rapist, Derek to the Rescue, Healing, Knotting, M/M, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Pedophilia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexism, Sexual Assault, Slow Build, Suicidal Thoughts, Tentacles, The Internship - Freeform, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-22 01:05:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8267077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3rdgenderfromthesun/pseuds/3rdgenderfromthesun
Summary: Stiles lost his hope for a future the same day that Derek saw a shot at some small bit of happiness within his isolated hell. They both have a lot of healing to do before they can truly enjoy their mating bond.





	1. Chapter 1

Stiles choked on his tears, staggering through the woods with his arms wrapped around himself to ward off the chill. His sight was blurred by tears. The sounds he’d heard were echoing in his ears; Scott huffing and moaning, the omega beneath him whimpering softly. Stiles had never felt so betrayed in his life. It was true he hadn’t been _in_ love with Scott, but he’d been the only Alpha- hell, the only _person_ \- in town that had been able to tolerate Stiles’ company. They’d agreed that Stiles would seek him out during the mating run, locate his territory, and the two of them would mate together. Scott was sure that he’d be able to get aroused around Stiles once his heat kicked in despite the fact that their few awkward kisses over the last year had been barely stimulating for him. As far as Stiles was concerned, it meant family at last. Scott wanted stability and Stiles was as loyal as a mountain was tall. Besides, mating meant that Stiles would finally be able to do something with his life. Unmated omegas couldn’t vote, get jobs, or even go to college due to the desires they evoked in other genders.

All his life Stiles had been told that his mate was out there somewhere. He or she was an alpha he had come into contact with at some point in time, one that he’d be drawn to during the mating run. All he had to do was sniff them out and his life would be full of purpose and joy. Otherwise his heats would start on their own at twenty and he’d be looking at a lifetime of drugs to hold them off, and everyone knew that even the drugs didn’t last long. Most unmated omegas died before they reached thirty years old due to heat complications. Hence the importance of the Mating Run that was held every three months for all unmated alphas and omegas.

Except, Stiles had been sure he’d already found his mate. Scott was his best friend, confidant, and ‘partner in crime’ according to Sherriff Stilinski. Stiles’ dad had tried to get Stiles to consider Deputy Jordan Parrish but Stiles already knew that was a lost cause. He couldn’t stand how Parrish smelled. In fact, Scott’s was the only Alpha he didn’t feel disgusted by the smell of. Most of them just smelled like sweaty gym socks and corn chips to Stiles. Scott smelled like _home_.

Except now he smelled like some omega’s cream. Stiles wasn’t even sure whose because he hadn’t wanted to stick around long enough to see a face. Scott had chosen someone else and Stiles… Stiles was all alone. He couldn’t face years of searching for someone outside of Beacon Hills and he sure as hell hadn’t found his mate _here_ , so he was going to take things into his own hands.

Stiles found a string of rope likely left behind by an alpha who had staked out a territory early and then gotten distracted when the Omegas were let loose. It was holding up some laundry but Stiles was hardly of a mind to care. He cut the rope down with his claws, shook the laundry off, and coiled the length around his arm. He searched briefly for a tree until he found one with low enough branches for him to climb that also featured a high branch that he could swing from. Then he climbed to the top, sniffling miserably as he began to awkwardly tie a noose.

Stiles was on his fifth attempt at a decent noose, muttering about his lack of a phone and google, when someone cleared their throat bellow him. He glanced down and squinted at the figure through his tears.

“What are you doing here? This is my territory,” A gruff voice stated.

“Oh, um… it’s not what you think,” Stiles replied, wiping his snot off on his sleeve, “I’m not here to mate I’m… you know what, could you just go?”

“I know what you’re doing here,” The irritated figure huffed, “I’ve been watching you try to make a noose for half an hour.”

Stiles blinked until his eyes cleared. The young man below him was clearly of an Alpha’s build, and his features were chiseled to the point Stiles might be inclined to call him attractive, but the rest of his body was at an odd angle from where the omega sat. His face was contorted with frustration and anger, his large black caterpillar eyebrows stark against his olive skin. What surprised him was the dark haired man’s behavior.

“Aren’t alphas supposed to be all… protective of omegas?” Stiles asked.

“Yeah, so?” He asked.

“So shouldn’t you be talking me down?”

“Do you _want_ me to talk you down?”

“Not particularly.”

“Good,” He replied sharply, “I haven’t got time for it. Now toss me my laundry line. Anyone with eyes can see that you making a noose is a lost cause.”

“You haven’t got time to _save someone’s life_?” Stiles snapped, disgusted by the alphas behavior, “What do you need this so bad for? Your favorite pair of lacy undies dirty?!”

Stiles waved the rope in the air and managed to drop it, swearing as it fell to the forest floor at the alphas feet. He picked it up and gave Stiles a snide smirk.

“Thanks. Good luck with your suicide. Trust me, you’re better off not doing it with this. It takes nearly an hour for a werewolf to suffocate and you don’t have the skill to tie the kind of knot that would have broken your neck.”

Stiles was shaking with anger now, but he had no decent response so he just shouted back at him with the first thing that popped into his head, “Oh, and how would you know?”

The young man stopped mid-turn and gave Stiles a cold, lingering look with one dark eyebrow raised. Stiles stilled, his belly clenching in realization.

“Oh. Well. Um…”

The young man turned to leave again and Stiles leaned to one side to get a better look at him… and plummeted out of the tree.

“Great,” The young man sighed.

Stiles was on the forest floor now, pain shooting up his side and air refusing to enter his lungs. He got a fairly good look at the young man’s shapely ass despite spots dancing before his eyes, but he turned and headed back. He knelt beside Stiles and scowled down at him as if he were a particularly large nuisance. It was a look Stiles was incredibly familiar with. In his last year of high school he’d stolen the police van from his father’s job to show off to a girl he’d thought might be his mate. It had costing his father the Sherriff’s position for a year and he’d only gotten it back by nearly getting himself killed stopping a Kanima on a killing spree. His father had never looked at him the same way again.

Stiles dragged in a gulp of air and the alpha- maybe beta?- cocked his head to one side, “Was that pleasant?”

“No,” Stiles choked out.

“Welcome to the pain of suffocation. Not going to try that again, are you?”

“Not likely,” Stiles wheezed.

“Good. Now hold still. I need to check you for injuries.”

“Why?” Stiles gasped.

“Because I’m an alpha and you’re an omega and our biology is annoying as fuck,” The man replied.

He leaned forward, leaning _over_ Stiles so that he was left staring at an absolutely gloriously chiseled bare chest and sculpted abs. The man wasn’t wearing a shirt beneath his leather jacket, which had fallen over when he’d planted his hands on the forest floor on either side of Stiles so he could sniff along his chest and abdomen.

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?” Stiles panted.

“Checking you for broken bones. You’ve got a broken rib. Stay here.”

The man stood up and threw his head back, howling into the darkened night sky. Around them there had been a slew of loud noises all night, mates finding each other and satisfying primal urges that had lain dormant until the run. This was different. This sound wasn’t triumphant or possessive. This sound was _mournful_ and it made Stiles’ heart ache. The answering cry was higher in pitch and just as despondent. Stiles blinked back tears.

“My sister will help you,” Derek stated.

“Is she the alpha?”

“I’ve already told you _I_ am,” Derek huffed.

“But…” Stiles frowned in confusion, “You don’t _smell_ like an alpha.”

“Well you don’t smell like an idiot, yet there you were up in that tree incompetently attempting to hang yourself,” He replied sharply.

“Derek?” A voice called, and a brunette jogged into sight with worried eyes, “Are you… joking?! What the hell, Derek?!”

The woman approached Stiles with red rage flashing in her eyes, scowling at Stiles and Derek in turn.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Derek stated, “I talked him out of the rope he was going to hang himself with-“

“You said it was your laundry line!” Stiles replied in a hurt tone.

“Do I look like _I_ do the laundry?” Derek huffed.

“Shut up! Both of you!” The woman shouted, kneeling beside Stiles on the ground and letting out a steady breath to center herself. When she spoke again her tone was altered, “It’s going to be okay, sweetie. Just lie still and let me check you over.”

“His ribs are-“

“I know his ribs are broken, Derek!” The woman shouted over her shoulder, words ending on a low growl as her sharp teeth flashed, “A danger to yourself and others, Derek! That’s what they said! Now look what you’ve done! You’ve hurt someone else! Again!”

Stiles’ eyes flew up to Derek who was working his jaw as if he were grinding his teeth, but Stiles couldn’t hear them rubbing. His eyes were deep pools of despair and Stiles immediately felt awful for bringing this down on him.

“It wasn’t his fault,” Stiles insisted, “I mean, he was an ass but he-“

“Stop talking,” The woman stated firmly, and Stiles’ jaw clicked shut. He hated how alphas could just order him about. He had wanted a life with Scott who valued him for his quick wit and manic internet searches. Now he would never have that. He’d either die slowly from his biology or suffer at the hands of whatever alpha would take him. If he were lucky it wouldn’t be one of these two siblings who seemed to radiate misery and bitterness with every breath.

“Laura I-“ Derek started.

“You will _not_ speak,” She snapped, glaring at him over her shoulder again, “I’m trying to calm him down.”

 _You’re doing a shit job,_ Stiles thought.

Derek made a grumpy noise that made Stiles think he thought the same so he threw him a commiserating glance. Clearly his sister was a bigger asshole than Derek was.

“I’m going to see if you’re safe to move, just hold still,” She told him, prodding his side, “This might hurt.”

“Might! Might!” Stiles shouted.

Derek snorted.

“Shut up! I was in pain!” Stiles defended.

“Derek, stop making things _worse_ ,” Laura huffed, “Okay. I think it’s okay to move you. Nothing seems to be punctured and you’re not bleeding beneath the surface. That means you’ll heal on your own in time. I’ll just take some of your pain and we’ll get you to our home until you’re well enough to leave.”

“He was trying to kill himself,” Derek stated quickly, “Why don’t we just let him finish? No one will ever-“

“We can’t _do_ that, Derek!” Laura snapped, “He’s hurt! Maybe _you’re_ not bothered by omegas being hurt, but _I am_! Besides, he’s started healing. A good medical examiner would see that this injury came before the one that killed him and would question _who_ he had contact with before that.”

“To be honest,” Stiles butted in, “The medical examiner knows me. He wouldn’t be surprised to see multiple injuries at various states of healing.”

Laura’s eyebrows crinkled up and she pursed her lips before wondering, “Who _are_ you?”

“Stiles Stilinski,” Stiles replied.

“From school?” Derek asked.

“I know you?” Stiles asked.

“You knew him?” Laura scoffed.

“I _saw_ him the day before…” Derek shut his mouth sharply and went slightly pale.

Laura turned her back on him and focused on drawing Stiles’ pain out of his side. Stiles sighed as relief flowed through him and rational thought began to return.

“Wait… Derek… Laura… people I’ve seen but not recently in this tiny little town… _You’re the Hales!”_

“What’s left of them,” Laura stated coldly, then scooped Stiles up into her arms and turned to walk towards camp.

Laura growled at Derek as she passed him, herding him away from Stiles. If he didn’t know better he’d have thought it was possessive behavior, but one glance at her face told him she was as disgusted with Stiles as she was aggressive towards her brother. Not that Stiles was surprised at the animosity between the siblings. Derek had made the absolutely _horrendous_ mistake of starting a relationship with a _human_. Humans and werewolves lived in separate towns for a reason, but Derek had smuggled one past the town border and into Beacon Hills as a teenager. He’d apparently been planning on inserting her into the run to claim her as a mate, but she’d done what humans always did.

Slaughtered wolves.

Kate Argent had burnt down the Hale House with everyone in it and then gone on to the next nearest house. Luckily only one person suffered in the second house and they had recovered after some physical therapy and skin grafting, but the Hales hadn’t been so lucky. Everyone inside had died except for Peter Hale, and he’d been rendered insane at the sound of his family burning to death while the police held him back. He’d been locked up until a few years ago when he’d escaped from Eichen House and gone on a killing spree himself. Once the police captured him Laura and Derek had flown in from their new home in New York to take him down, citing familial responsibility, but by then he’d managed to kill enough betas to become an alpha. She’d decided to have Derek kill his uncle in order to absorb the power and give the Hale line two alphas to continue on with.

Her plan had backfired. Derek hadn’t known how to handle being an alpha, and having that kind of power handed to you wasn’t how nature had intended the strength be passed along. He’d spent a year trying to form a pack only to have it go wrong. Two young teenagers had died because of his recklessness and inability to lead and he’d been brought before a committee and declared unfit. They couldn’t take his power without killing him and his ‘crimes’ were of neglect rather than abuse. They gave him the option to surrender his power or be restricted on taking more pack members. He had refused to siphon his strength off, so they’d banished him. Laura had gone with him. If she’d ever had a pack Stiles hadn’t heard of it, but Derek’s remaining beta vanished the same day. The town had hoped he’d moved away and talked about how terrible it would be if Derek still had control over him.

“You just can’t do anything right, can you?” Laura swore beneath her breath, “Every time I turn around you’re ruining something. Now we’ll have to leave here. _Again_.”

“I’m not even sure why we _stayed_ ,” Derek growled.

“Because no one will let us into their towns, Derek!” Laura shouted, pausing and jostling Stiles painfully, “You let a _human_ into Beacon Hills! You’re a traitor!”

“New York-“ Derek started.

“I lied to them! Okay?” There were tears in Laura’s eyes, “I lied to them and got us in on fake papers. A friend helped, but I’ve used up every favor I had. We’re _fucked_ , Derek! We got back into Beacon Hills on trumped up charges against Uncle Peter and you had _one chance_ to redeem yourself, but now we’re _fucked!_ Don’t you get it? They’ll _kill_ you, Derek. They’ll put you down. You _hurt_ him.”

“Technically,” Stiles raised a finger to get her attention, “I hurt myself.”

Derek pointed at Stiles and raised his eyesbrows in a pointed expression but Laura just spun about and stomped off with him.

“Ow! Jostling the wounded omega!”

“Let me carry-“ Derek started.

“No!” Laura barked, teeth and eyes flashing.

Derek backed off and Stiles made a vague whipping motion at him from over Laura’s shoulder. Derek scowled at him but Stiles wasn’t about to regret it. The man needed to stand up to his bitch of a sister! Stiles was taken to a tiny hole in the side of a hill. The roots of a tree framed it and as they stepped down inside he realized it was a permanent home for the siblings rather than a mating nest. Once past the dirt tunnel with the tree entrance, the inside was a rough cement dome that it must have taken them months to make, supporting and shaping the roof so they could live under it worry free. It was warm inside, which was decent since the damn temperature had been _far_ too cold for even a werewolf to manage while naked. Stiles was laid down on a pallet, glancing around himself surreptitiously. He could see curtained off areas on either side of the room that probably led to sleeping quarters and food storage. A sniff proved him correct. The siblings slept in one offshoot and kept dried food in the other. He couldn’t really imagine the surly pair curling up together for warmth in the winter, but he supposed they had to since there was only one sleeping area and they _were_ family. Werewolves were tactile creatures. Without touch for a lengthy period of time they’d go mad and become omegas. These two had retained their alphahood so they clearly hadn’t done so.

“Whose the third scent?” Stiles asked, still sniffing the air.

“Derek’s beta, Isaac,” Laura replied in an offhand way, “He left a day ago to fetch water and never came back.”

“It is the mating run-“ Derek started.

“Don’t give me that,” Laura sighed, “Not again. He’s _terrified_ of being touched. He barely lets _us_ near him.”

Derek’s eyes were hard where they fell on the back of Laura’s head as she fussed over Stiles and he felt like there were more words there just bubbling to the surface, but Derek tamped them down. Stiles wondered what they were. He wondered if Isaac secretly let Derek hold him at night, waiting until Laura fell asleep and then scooting close to be near his alpha. Betas weren’t bound by the mating requirements of alphas and omegas, but they were still in need of the comforts of pack.

“He wouldn’t be the first beta to turn into an omega,” Stiles pointed out, “Just because it’s _normally_ a rigid thing doesn’t mean it stays that way. Especially if he’s not getting much pack cuddles. I mean, Derek used to be a be-“

“Shut up,” Laura snarled, her claws poking his shoulder as she tucked him in almost viciously, “Why don’t you _ever_ shut up?”

Stiles bit his lip. His father had begun to feel the same way of late. He’d even told Stiles that he was looking forward to having his son mated off. He’d been drunk at the time so Stiles had hoped it was only partly true, but the likelihood was that his father was wearing thin.

“Aww, hurt your feelings?” Laura gave him a bitter smile, “Welcome to the real world. You omegas. Always so sheltered. So coddled. I should take you.”

“Wh-what?” Stiles’ eyes widened in alarm, “You’re not my mate.”

“Laura,” Derek spoke up, a note of warning and fear in his voice.

“Relax, Derek,” Laura sighed, standing up, “It was just a thought. I mean, let’s face it. Even if I _did_ manage to mate the Sherriff’s son- and trust me it’s definitely a maybe with that mouth on him- it’s no guarantee they’d accept us again. We’re fucking done for.”

Laura trudged over to a box and started pulling bandages out of it.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Stiles whispered softly, “I’ll go back to my dad and tell him I didn’t find a mate. I’ll keep quiet about you both. Isaac too. He’ll never know you guys are out here.”

“Oh, he knows we’re out here,” Derek grumbled, “Everyone does.”

“I didn’t,” Stiles replied in surprise. He’d thought he’d known every secret Beacon Hills had to offer.

“Look at you,” Laura laughed sharply, sitting down beside him with the bandages in her hand, “Thinking about surviving us. Gee, Derek. I think the horror of the idea of mating with me pushed his suicide wish out of his system!”

“Can’t imagine why,” Derek replied sardonically, rolling his eyes skyward.

“Asshole,” Laura grumped, “Okay, I’m going to sit you up and wrap those ribs.”

“Okay,” Stiles whined through it and then made himself breathe shallowly as she wrapped the bandages tightly around his torso.

Laura looked sad when he glanced at her face, as if she had nothing left to give or take. She met his eyes for the first time as she finished wrapping him up.

“You can stay here until the run is over,” She told him softly, “Then we’ll take you to the border. I’ll make sure you get to your dad safely, okay?”

“Okay,” Stiles nodded, “Thank you.”

“It will only take a few days for-“ Derek started.

“You think I don’t know that?” She growled at him, giving him a sharp look and standing up abruptly, “He can’t wander around out there all week, Derek.”

“It’s the _Mating Run_ ,” Derek growled insistently.

“Yeah,” She nodded, “And his mate isn’t out there or he wouldn’t have been planning to hang himself. You get it, brother? He’s mateless. Like we are. We all might as well be bitter and angry together.”

Laura stomped off, leaving their small dwelling while Stiles carefully lowered himself back down on what he assumed was a sort of couch for them. Most likely they sat on the pallet to do chores and the like since there was obviously no TV or computer to enjoy while upon it. Derek sat down on the floor opposite him with his hands stuffed in his pocket.

“Where’s your shirt?”

“You dropped it in the dirt,” Derek gave him a narrow glare.

“You said it wasn’t your laundry line.”

“No, I said it _was_ my laundry line. I said I don’t do the laundry. I don’t. Isaac does. It’s been hanging up to dry and the rest of it he was in the middle of washing when he vanished. I was looking for him when I stumbled across you.”

“Do you want me to help you look? I think I can walk now I’m bandaged.”

“No,” Derek replied, “I know where he is now.”

“Where?” Stiles asked, hoping he’d found a mate and happiness.

“Someplace better,” Derek replied gruffly.

“So mated or…?” Stiles left the sentence hanging but Derek just blinked at him and remained silent and brooding. “Right. Well, this whole depressing conversation has been… well… as previously mentioned. Anyway, I’d like to leave before your crazy sister gets-“

“My sister is _not_ crazy!” Derek snarled, eyes flashing bright red in the dim room.

Stiles swallowed, “No. Of course not. Sorry.”

“Why were you trying to kill yourself, anyway?” Derek asked.

“It beats dying slowly while waiting for an alpha to claim me,” Stiles shrugged.

“Alphas outnumber omegas two-to-one,” Derek pointed out, “Your chances are pretty good.”

“Tell that to the last omega who died of heat sickness,” Stiles replied miserably.

“That was what… twenty years ago? Your chances of finding your mate are even better with internet or whatever.”

“Or whatever?” Stiles scoffed, “You ever even used a computer?”

“Oh, yeah,” Derek replied, sarcasm sneaking into his voice, “I surf the web on the daily. Our wifi password is ‘dirt hovel in hell’. Catchy, right?”

“Well, you must use _something_ to-“

“I go to the library at night,” Derek replied gruffly, “The librarian took pity on me once when a group chased me out of it during the day and gave me a key.”

“That was nice of him.”

“Yeah,” Derek nodded.

“HE’s not your-“

“No, he’s not my mate. No one is. My chances _aren’t as good as yours_.”

“You’re assuming- and I mean that phrasing, by the way, _ass_ uming- that mating means I’ll be _happy_. We omegas have _no choice_ but to follow our noses to _ownership_. I’m a _slave_ to my biology, Derek Hale! I get a mate or I get _dead_. Then I spend the rest of my life having cubs since the chances of me getting a mate who will let me go to school and become a police officer like I want to are slim to fucking _none_.”

“You came out here,” Derek stated softly, “You were weeping when I found you, but you smelled like despair. Despair isn’t something you smell like because of a long-standing disgust with a societal and biological imperative. It’s something you feel when something bad happened to hurt you.”

“Yeah, like the person I _thought_ was my mate finding someone else,” Stiles frowned, rubbing at his knee miserably through the blanket.

“Yet you’ve not been mourning _someone else_ , you’ve been mourning the freedom they promised you.”

Stiles glanced up and frowned, eyebrows drawn together, “What makes you say that?”

“You’ve not even indicated a sex or gender, just that they found someone else. You’ve been more focused on what you can’t have, and what you can’t have isn’t _love_ or _sex_ or _family_. It’s freedom.”

“So?”

“So,” Derek stood up and dusted off the back of his pants before turning towards their food stores, “He wasn’t your mate.”

“Yeah,” Stiles huffed, then regretted it when his ribs pained him, “I figured that out when I found him balls deep in someone else.”

Derek headed back out of the curtained off area with a bowl full of dried fruits and nuts.

“Here, eat.”

“Thanks,” Stiles accepted it and stared down at the food miserably for a moment before forcing himself to eat.

“How old are you?” Derek asked, “I’ve lost track of time out here.”

“Eighteen,” Stiles replied, “Just turned in time for this run.”

“Hm,” Derek nodded, “Then you won’t go on heat for another couple of years as long as an alpha doesn’t kick it off.”

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded, “How do they do that, by the way?”

Derek gave him an eye roll and then the side-eye, “We’re not supposed to tell you. It’s an alpha secret.”

“I know, but you’re out here all secluded and no one will ever-“

“No.”

“You suck.”

“Mm-hm.”

XXX

Night fell and Derek retired to his room with his sister, leaving Stiles draped in an extra blanket. Stiles wasn’t used to sleeping alone. He and Scott had formed their own little pack at a young age and had started rotating whose house they stayed at based on whose parent was on night shift. Stiles had gotten quite comfortable with his packmate’s soft breaths in his hair or on his neck each night.

 _Former packmate_ , Stiles recalled with a twist of pain that had nothing to do with his ribs. Scott had a mate and it wasn’t Stiles. He had a pack and it probably didn’t include Stiles anymore. Stiles would become some other alphas property and that alpha would keep them apart. At best they’d maintain a distant friendship, but even without an alpha interfering Stiles doubted he could _ever_ look at Scott the same way again. It all felt so hopeless and lonely.

Stiles didn’t realize he was whimpering and making soft whining calls until Derek’s face appeared a few inches from his own. Stiles jumped and hissed in pain, hand pressing against his ribs as Derek frowned down at him. The alpha reached out and laid a hand over Stiles’ bandaged side for a moment, and then slid it down to touch the bare skin of his abdomen. Stiles gasped at such an intimate first contact and a flutter went through him, his body arching and causing him more pain. Derek’s veins swelled and turned dark as he pulled Stiles’ pain out. Stiles sighed in relief and went limp beneath his touch. Derek’s hand wandered up his body, bypassing a nipple that pebbled at his nearness, unintentionally tickled his neck, brushed through the sorry excuse for stubble on Stiles’ chin, and caught a tear running down his cheek.

“You’re crying again.”

“I’m hurting.”

“You were calling for an alpha,” Derek told him, “My sister is getting annoyed. She wants you to stop before you summon someone. Or leave.”

“Oh,” Stiles stated flatly.

“You don’t _have_ to leave. She’s cranky when she’s tired.”

“Dude, she’s always cranky.”

Derek nodded, “Will you stop whining if I stay with you?”

Stiles hesitated. He didn’t want to sleep alone, but he didn’t _know_ this alpha. Then again, he’d been contemplating suicide not long ago, so it wasn’t exactly a huge deal if Derek got him killed like he had most of his previous pack. Hell, maybe he’d mount Stiles first and he’d get a chance to go out without his virginity still hanging over his head. It hadn’t escaped his notice that Derek was fit. Hell, he was gorgeous. Even his eyebrows and bunny teeth were adorable. Stiles’ sex drive was virtually nonexistent until 20 or an Alpha triggered it, but he had _eyes_ , damn it.

Stiles nodded and Derek carefully eased him over so they had room on the mat together. Once Derek lay down it was with his back to Stiles, who let out a disappointed sigh.

“You _want_ me to violate you?” Derek asked, and Stiles smirked as he imagined what the expressive alphas eyebrows were doing.

“Well…”

“Less alphas would be interested in claiming you after that,” Derek growled, “You’d be _soiled goods_.”

“True,” Stiles admitted with a nod, “But it would release me from the Runs. I’d be on the market for betas after that point. I’d be a bit more free.”

“Not of your heats. They’d plague you forever. Having sated one with an alpha would make them less erratic and possibly not fatal, but even that’s not guaranteed.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Stiles huffed, “It’s at least an option!”

“Just go to sleep, Stiles,” Derek insisted, sighing and settling further into the mat.

When Stiles woke up Derek was gone and Laura was standing over him. He stared up at her in horror. She was naked from the waist down and was touching her crotch. A wet, slick member was sliding free. It was the inverted birth canal that formed into a phallus when a female became an alpha. It was slick and flexible, arching around her fingers as she stimulated herself.

“You smell so good,” She panted, fingers making slick sounds between her thighs.

Stiles had always thought he might prefer male alphas, but without his sex drive being awakened yet he really wasn’t able to make that call. Supposedly now that he was close to eighteen it would be possible for him to experience arousal for the first time, but without an alpha triggering his heat before his natural time at twenty he was left only with visual cues as to what might interest him.

Laura wasn’t it.

“Eww!” Stiles howled, throwing his hands over his eyes, “Tentacle rape! _Tentacle rape!”_

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Laura panted, “I’m just trying to get off. Shut up, would you?”

“I don’t want you to trigger me!” Stiles wailed.

“I won’t! Shut _up!”_

“Don’t claim me, either!”

“As if I’d want to!” She snapped, “Shut up and lie still!”

Stiles pressed his lips together and stared at her in horror. He didn’t exactly have much of a choice. He could get up and leave, but he was injured and she was far stronger than he was. Stiles decided that he’d lie there complacent rather than trigger her to become violent and possibly rape him. Hopefully she’d be content to just… do whatever alpha females did to masturbate. Omegas weren’t taught much about sex, aside from how to care for their own needs if they suffered a heat alone, or how to eat and walk while pregnant. Most of their schooling focused around taking care of the home and just the barest of what they might need to know if they were allowed a career.

Laura used her other hand to stroke along her arching shaft as it bobbed up and down of it’s own accord. She continued to use her primary hand to do… _something…_ between her legs. Stiles gave her an absolutely revolted look as she began to pant and moan softly. Her sounds became louder and filthier and Stiles was transported back to the woods and the sounds of Scott frantically railing the omega he’d chosen. Stiles closed his eyes and turned away.

A splattering sound reached his ears and he opened one to see Laura had staggered away from him. A white, thick fluid had shot out onto the wall and was slowly dripping down it. She was panting and leaning against it as if her legs wouldn’t hold her up anymore. As he watched a few more drops dripped free as her member slowly shrunk down and slid back inside of her body. It became wrinkly as it moved and Stiles stared at it in mute horror.

“That was beyond gross and I’m leaving,” Stiles told her firmly.

Red eyes flashed at him and Laura let out a low growl before stalking off into the curtained off sleeping area. Stiles slowly worked himself into a sitting position, cursing his own pain, and then onto his feet. He walked up the incline to his freedom. Once in natural light rather than the lanterns that had lit the ‘dirt hovel’, as Derek had called it, he blinked to clear his eyes and tried to track where the sun was. He sniffed the air to find the time and caught the scent of morning dew. With his bearings collected Stiles turned to the north and started heading for what he hoped was the camp where a few officers and medical staff would wait for the alpha and omegas to return. If Stiles had worked up the right howl last night the medical staff would have come for him, but he’d been distracted by abs and pecks. Stiles realized he had been stupidly hoping that Derek was his mate and that the alpha whose scent didn’t irritate him was going to pick up the ball Scott had dropped. In the light of day he realized that his mate’s scent would probably have _attracted_ him rather than just being _not offensive_. Then again, he still wasn’t even sure what attractive smelled like.

Stiles continued to walk along a deer trail when a scent _did_ catch his nose. He paused, sniffing the air in shock. It was happening. _His mate_. It must be someone he’d had contact with as a child. Perhaps they’d returned to the area to try to find him. Maybe they’d been looking for years, going from one Run to another in search of _Stiles_ , wanting someone smart and witty with a sharp tongue and…

“ _Derek?!_ ” Stiles choked out.

Stiles had stumbled upon the creek where Derek was waist deep with a basket tied around his torso. He looked a combination of ridiculous and sexy what with his top bare and wet, glistening in the morning sunlight. He also looked furious.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“That’s not what’s important!” Stiles snapped, “Why do you smell different today?”

“What?”

“You smell _different_ today!”

“Well, I could say the same to you. You smell like _Laura,”_ Derek snarled, then turned his back on Stiles, “Now fuck off. With Isaac gone I have to do the laundry _myself_. Although I suppose I should thank you anyway. At least now I won’t have to deal with _Laura_ anymore.”

“You and your freaky sister break up?” Stiles asked as Derek sloshed out of the water and up the bank.

“Seeing as how she’s claimed you?” Derek asked, giving Stiles a disgusted look.

Stiles wasn’t paying attention. Derek was naked. Derek was naked and wet and _hot_. Mind you, his dick was trying to crawl into his body from the cold water, but his legs were a work of art worthy of casting in plaster. Stiles would gladly have a statue made of him and placed anywhere in his home. Preferably in more than one location. He might even make a fountain out of him so he could lick droplets of water off of his massive, muscular thighs on a regular basis.

“Oh my gods, you’re fucking gorgeous,” Stiles stated.

“What?” Derek frowned, pulling the basket off and hanging it from a well worn knot on a tree, “Are you _insane_? You want another Hale to have to kill their own?”

“What?” Stiles blinked stupidly.

“You. Belong. To. Laura,” Derek stated slowly so Stiles could follow.

“I don’t follow,” Stiles informed him.

“You’re _her mate_.”

“Over my dead and traumatized body am I mated to that hentai horror,” Stiles stated, then thought better of it, “No offense, dude.”

“No offense?” Derek repeated, looking slightly disturbed himself.

“Well, seeing as how said omega assaulting freaky female is your sister,” Stiles reminded.

“Omega assaul… she _assaulted_ you?”

“Well, not so much with the touching,” Stiles replied, shrugging awkwardly, “More with the visual assault. She raped my _eyes.”_

“Raped your…” Derek’s looked downright sickened as he peered into Stiles’ eyes, “She… what… came in them?”

“No, ew,” Stiles’ face scrunched up, “She did _that_ on the wall.”

“Did any of it get on you?” Derek asked.

“No,” Stiles replied, “So, about claiming. I was thinking maybe we could up the ante on our discussion last night.”

“Did you… touch it? Or maybe ingest it?” Derek asked, stepping closer.

“Are we really going to talk about your sister’s spunk? Because, ew.”

Derek rolled his eyes again, “You brought up her assault, Stiles. Not me. I take it you rejected her?”

“Yes, and also my feelings of violation are valid without contact having been made. Don’t downplay this, Derek,” Stiles huffed, “I’ve a right to refuse alphas without fear of being masturbated on. Now are you done with that, and if so, may I have some?”

“Done with what?” Derek asked, “You have to be the most confus-“

“The water.”

“Oh,” Derek stepped aside and gestured to the creek.

Stiles shook his head, “I meant the stuff on your _legs_.”

Derek glanced down, apparently just noticing the little droplets of lust clinging to his dark leg hair.

“I’ve never met someone so completely baffling in my entire life. The only thing on my legs are hair and water.”

“Yes. I did mention the water. May I have some?” Stiles asked, “See, this is what _non­_ -sociopaths do. They get consent before making with the sex.”

“Making with the… Wait, are you asking to touch me?”

“YES!” Stiles growled out, flailing his hands in exasperation, “More specifically I’m asking to lick the water off your legs. And possibly make a mold of your entire lower half so I can spend the rest of my unsatisfying heats rubbing all over them and what I’m assuming is a nice penis when shrinkage isn’t involved.

Dereks hands flew down to cover his groin, “What the _fuck_ Stiles?!”

“That’s what I’m _trying_ to do!” Stiles whined, pinwheeling his arms, “Dude, what do I have to do to get my cherry popped?! I told you last night. No virgin equals freer Stiles.”

“And I thought I made myself clear: Your dad will kill me.”

“You never actually said that. We need to work on you using your words. It’s okay. I understand. You’ve been alone with cranky and disappear-boy for a long time. We’ll work on that. Later. After you sex me.”

“Stiles, _if_ I were to…” Derek scowled at him and just shook his head, either at a loss or still unable to articulate due to years of isolation.

Stiles’ heart clenched painfully. Rejection. It wasn’t shocking considering how damaged Derek was from his fucked up life, but Stiles had decided to try the second he’d caught that beautiful scent in the air. Now he had only one option left.

“I’m offering you sex, Derek. No commitment. I won’t let anyone find out it was you who ‘sullied’ me. How often do you get to fuck an omega in heat?”

Derek paused long enough for Stiles to start to wonder if he _had_ gotten off with an omega or two. He _was_ hiding out in the woods where omegas went searching for mates.

“Then you’ll what? Leave here to seek out a beta mate who will _never be able to satisfy you_? Only alphas go for betas for a _reason_. An alpha can be sated by a beta, but not an omega. If you were lucky- and I mean _very_ lucky- you’d live until you were forty before your body just shut the hell down. Longer with a beta. Maybe.”

“Longer than I’d live without an alpha _ever_ touching me, and it might not be as bad. C’mon man. Do me this favor. Please?”

Derek’s face did a complicated twisting thing, various expressions popping out and then hiding before Stiles could identify them. The omega cocked his head to the side and tried to figure him out but Derek settled on cold and calculated.

“Okay. Let me get this straight,” Derek sighed.

Stiles groaned in frustration, dragging his fingers down his face, “Again? You want to recap _again_? You’re as anime as your sister is! You and your ridiculous eyebrows!”

“You’re the one who told me to use my words!” Derek snarled, “If you weren’t hurt I’d throw you against that tree and… and…”

Derek’s eyes glazed over and his eyes drifted down Stiles’ body. Stiles grinned eagerly.

“I knew it! You’re hard up for it thanks to your isolation! Even _I’m_ attractive to you at this point!” Stiles cheered.

“You have a very weird form of low self esteem,” Derek stated softly.

“Look, no one ever has to know, okay?” Stiles soothed, “I’ll wash up afterwards. You get your rocks off and I get my itch scratched.”

“You’re hurt,” Derek licked his lips repeatedly, and stepped closer with his nostrils flairing, “I can’t trigger your heat yet. We need you healthier first. At least a day.”

“Okay, so we go back to your-“

“NO!” Derek snapped, fangs dropping out as his eyes flashed an angry red. Stiles took a step back and instinctively tilted his head to one side submissively, “We can’t go back there. Laura’s assaulted you. You might not get away from her next time.”

“Well, it’s not like she wants to…” Stiles started, but Derek was pacing, his eyes wild and his body starting to wake up. Stiles was momentarily stunned by the sight of his cock thickening up. It rose from the nest of dark curls it had been hiding in and Stiles’ mouth dried up.

“I’ll find someplace else. Set up my own territory. It’s long past the time I got out of her shadow. For fuck’s sake I _smell_ like her until I bathe! You said so yourself!”

“Wha?” Stiles asked, swallowing hard, “Wow, that’s big.”

“Look, I don’t want to make this seem like a claiming, but given the situation I think I’d better form a territory to keep you safe until you’re healed.”

“Lead on, oh alpha,” Stiles stated with a wicked leer.

Derek gripped his wrist and started off, dragging him through the woods with a steady purpose. Stiles liked the view of his bubble butt so much that he decided he wouldn’t mention the abandoned clothes. He wouldn’t be the only alpha out here stark naked to attempt to get more scent on the foliage around him.

Derek sniffed his way through the woods for so long that Stiles took to whining and asking if they were there yet while the stubborn alpha just shut him out. The omega was thirsty and seriously missing all the water on Derek’s legs that he’d missed out on enjoying. He was also worried. Derek had rejected him, which admittedly did happen on rare occasions. Everyone knew that your mate was someone you had contact with as a child, but that didn’t mean they were _yours_. Alphas had in the past rejected omegas, and usually those omegas went on to find out that another alpha was also suited to them. Sometimes the omegas asked the courts to have the alpha aid them during heat so they could survive until they found that other alpha or a beta to replace them, but Stiles wasn’t content with that option. One, he didn’t want Derek being brought before a court again. Two, he had already seen another alpha that day whose scent didn’t repulse him. He’d rather die than mate with Laura Hale. So he’d finish what he’d started in the woods when Derek had found him, but first he wanted a taste and Derek had agreed to that. So he’d take his taste and leave the forest. He’d kill himself at home where Derek couldn’t be blamed for it and the alpha would be none the wiser. There was no reason for the poor emotionally constipated werewolf to suffer further.

Finally Derek found a place with a large rock ledge that he approved of for the start of a shelter. He left Stiles huddling it it’s shadow and went to fetch some logs nearby. He didn’t want to go far so he went to the extreme of ripping out trees.

“That’s why the alphas are sent out first, you know!” Stiles scolded, “You’re destroying innocent trees!”

Derek didn’t answer. He just returned and began building a lean-to around Stiles, padding it up with long grass and leaves. When he returned with armfuls of pine needles for bedding Stiles gave him an enthusiastic cry and shifted aside to let him pad their little home. He nodded proudly at his accomplishment and then left. Stiles scented urine not long after and noted that Derek was marking out his territory. The alpha moved around outside for another hour before crawling into the lean-to and sitting down beside Stiles.

“How are your ribs?” the alpha asked tentatively into the awkward silence.

“Healed?” Stiles offered.

Derek snorted and rolled his eyes, then leaned over and put his hand on Stiles’ side to absorb some of his pain. Stiles sighed in relief and stretched when the lack of pain made it more possible to move.

“Thank you,” Stiles replied, “I appreciate all you’re doing for me.”

Derek shrugged weakly, “The sun is going down. I’m going to use the dusk cover to get us some food. Don’t leave my territory.”

“What about water?”

Derek nodded, “I’ll bring some. My sister and I have stashes all over the woods of supplies so that we can manage if we get routed out of the home we’ve had. With alphas coming around all the time it’s happened temporarily a few times. I’ll go raid one of the our caches and get a few bowls and bottles to keep water in.”

“Good call,” Stiles smiled.

Derek nodded, blushing adorably, and headed out to round up their supper. Derek returned with some berries, a few roots he’d picked, and a brace of rabbits. He set about building a fire and Stiles sat beside him on a log, extending his hands to warm up.

“The cache I found had a tarp in it. We can lay it over the lean to if it rains but for now it will probably just make it stuffy in there.”

“You don’t think we’ll be cold at night?”

“Not with me pressed against you,” Derek replied.

Stiles smiled and nudged his side, “That does sound good.”

“I’ll readjust your bandage now. They’ve shifted while we were walking.”

Stiles sat still and straight on the log while Derek wrapped him up again, fingers lingering along the bruised flesh beneath before returning the pressure that lowered his pain levels.

“They’re healing well,” Derek told him, “Tomorrow at noon we’ll take another look. The food will help.”

“It smells delicious. What were those roots?”

“Cat tails,” Derek replied, turning back to the food and giving it a prod with a stick. He was cooking them on top of a flat rock he’d set up using several other rocks as posts. The fire was raging around it eagerly.

“Hm, neat,” Stiles gave him an amused smile, “You really know how to survive out here.”

“I have to,” Derek pointed out, “Every three months a bunch of fucking alphas come through and deplete our resources.”

“That must suck,” Stiles nodded.

“We stay far out, but sometimes people wander close anyway,” Derek gave Stiles a pointed eyebrow glare and Stiles smirked.

“You’re glad I’m here,” Stiles smiled up at him.

“Sure. Glad.”

Stiles looked away and took a steadying breath, “I’m sorry I’m causing trouble between you and your sister.”

“Hm.”

“I mean it. I’m a bit confused about why you’re mad at me about that Isaac guy, though. I barely knew him in school.”

Derek snorted, “You haven’t figured it out? I thought you were smart.”

“Hey! I’m probably missing facts or something! Wait… Oh no. Tell me Isaac isn’t with _Scott!”_

Derek nodded, “I told you I was looking for him. You ran straight through his scent trail to our camp. I found you first and figured if you were following his trail than he must be with your Scott.”

“He turned omega to secure a mate,” Stiles sighed, “It’s so rare, but I guess I’m happy for him. Scott’s a great guy and he’s always wanted a family.”

“He was supposed to be _your_ mate, though,” Derek said softly, poking at their food again.

“Yeah, he was,” Stiles nodded.

“No wonder you’d rather have a beta. First alpha dumps you for a beta-turned omega and the second is a pervert.”

“Yeah,” Stiles shrugged, and silently added, _And the third doesn’t want me._

“Well, I’ll try to make tomorrow good for you,” Derek stated softly, scooping the food into bowls for them, “Sorry there’s only water to drink.”

“It’s fine,” Stiles smiled softly, “Your instincts are telling you to provide for me, huh?”

“Yeah,” Derek’s nose wrinkled up, “And I get the impression you’re a burgers and fries kind of guy.”

“Close. Curly fries.”

Derek smiled softly, “I miss curly fries.”

“It has to suck living out here,” Stiles decided.

Derek shrugged and then began to eat in silence. Stiles tucked in and hummed in appreciation. Derek had done a lot with what little he had. The bitter berries made a good flavoring for the cat tails and rabbit. He’d have preferred BBQ, but he couldn’t complain when eating in the woods. At least he _had_ food. He might have been spending the entire week alone and starving only to do the walk of shame on an empty stomach. At least this way when he emerged from the woods at the end of Mating Week he’d be limping out with a full stomach. Of course, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t stop at his favorite greasy diner before offing himself.

“Let’s turn in,” Derek stated after their food was finished and the fire had started to die down. Stiles was surprised he’d been sitting there silently for so long. Derek’s presence was… soothing.

“M’kay,” Stiles yawned, and followed him in.

Derek helped Stiles climb in and lay down, laying beside him as Stiles lay on his uninjured side. He cuddled up against his backside and Stiles smirked as his cock began to firm up.

“You sure you want to wait?”

“I have to,” Derek grumbled irritably.

“Not my fault you’re a gentleman,” Stiles chuckled, then groaned as his body ached from the combination of hard ground and laughter, “Laughing bad. No laughing. Stop making me laugh.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Derek chuckled, nuzzling the back of his neck.

Stiles sighed and let himself drift off to sleep with the warmth of the alpha wrapped around his body to sooth him.

XXX

Stiles woke up to find Derek sniffing at his side curiously.

“Good?”

“Just about,” Derek nodded, “You’ll be able to move and handle me touching you at least. I’ll just have to be gentle. Try sitting up.”

Stiles did so and only felt a dull ache. He grinned eagerly and Derek gave him half a grin in return. He told Stiles they’d walk to the creek and wash up first. Stiles was into seeing wet Derek again, so he eagerly agreed and they trekked to the nearest edge of the creek. They both slogged into the water and Stiles happily scrubbed the days of funk off of his body, grateful for the glimpses of Wet Derek he got. Wet Derek was his favorite. Then he noticed Wet Derek was talking and had to blink repeatedly to get his head back in the game.

“What?”

“I _said_ ,” Derek groused, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Do what?”

“Have me trigger your heat.”

“Well, yeah. I want my virginity gone.”

Derek shook his head, “You might find an appealing mate before your first _natural_ heat. If you do this-“

“I know what I’m asking, Derek,” Stiles insisted, “This is what I want. It’s what I _need_.”

Derek’s eyes fell to half-mast and he shuddered, a red tinge staining his cheeks despite the chill of the water. Stiles swallowed, not sure what he’d said or done to trigger such a rush of lust in the alpha, but he was all for it. Stiles smiled nervously, and cleared his throat as he shifted from foot to foot.

“Wow, um, hey,” Stiles stammered uselessly.

Derek snorted and went back to washing off, dipping under the water to rinse the night’s grit out of his hair. Stiles sighed and resigned himself to a bit more waiting.

XXX

They got back to their nest and Stiles crawled in eagerly, rolling about instinctively to mark the place while Derek followed at a more sedate pace. When Stiles finished rubbing up against their bedding he shifted to the side, lying on his back and propping himself up on his elbows in an attempt to look provocative. Derek started rubbing against it all, marking the sides as well by rubbing his hands over the limbs of their lean-to.

“I should put more mud over the sides and-“

“Dude,” Stiles cut him off, “If you put this off _one more second_ I’ll find another alpha to do the deed.”

It was a blatant lie and Derek had to have heard his heartbeat alter, but he still growled possessively and practically leaped at Stiles with flashing red eyes. Stiles saw the red and his head fell back, exposing his neck instinctively even as his back tensed in anxiety.

“Shh,” Derek soothed, running his nose over Stiles’ neck and breathing in his scent, “It won’t hurt. In fact, this first part is more awkward than painful. For both of us.”

“Okay. So. What now?” Stiles whined, shifting uncomfortably.

“Just lie back,” Derek advised, and Stiles lay down in their nest and took a deep, steadying breath.

Derek knelt over him, straddling his slim hips, and began to work his half-erect cock to full hardness. Stiles watched curiously, trying to memorize the way Derek stroked himself off in case he needed that knowledge during their mating.

_I wish I was fertile. If I got pregnant now it would be amazing. I’d have a cub to take care of. I’d have a way to stay sane without him._

Stiles knew the statistics. Omegas as young as he had a 1% chance of getting pregnant during an induced heat. If he managed to seduce Derek again next year he’d have a 70% chance, but his initial heat was going to be practically infertile since his body wasn’t ready for breeding. Hell, he still wasn’t sure what arousal was besides the occasional longing to gaze at the flawless lines of Derek’s body. His dick still only got half-hard and the only example of ejaculation he had was when Loony Laura had jizzed all over him. He’d had a few minor dry orgasms while exploring his own body, but they were wholly unfulfilling and mostly frustrating. Now he was about to have a _once_ in a lifetime experience with his true mate and he wasn’t about to miss it due to _nerves_.

“Okay,” Derek’s voice was husky with lust, “Almost there.”

“You’re gonna…”

“Come on you, yes,” Derek panted, leaning forward and bracing one hand beside Stiles’ head, “Then I have to spread it around, okay? You’re going to have to keep an open mind.”

Stiles licked his lips and his eyes widened, “Oh, man, I get it. All those questions you asked before. In, like, every single orifice. That’s hot and probably going to burn.”

Derek smirked, “Close your eyes. It doesn’t have to go in there.”

“Oh, good. That was way not-sexy.”

“And you’d know how, little eunuch?” Derek teased.

“When my balls drop,” Stiles growled, tilting his head so he could keep his eyes on Derek’s face, “You won’t be saying that.”

“When your balls drop I’m going to suck on each one until I… _fuck_!” Derek grunted, his eyes squeezing shut as his body tensed.

Stiles’ eyes widened and he forced himself to _not_ look down as hot splashes landed on his crotch, abdomen, and then all the way up to his chest. Derek’s lip curled and he let out a low groan of pleasure. Stiles could see his shoulder working as he manipulated his knot to roll himself into another hard climax.

“Fucking _hell!_ ” Derek growled out, “Never so… uhng!”

“Never so what?” Stiles asked, licking his lips in fascination as a splash hit them, “I should be licking this, right?”

Derek wasn’t able to answer. The arm supporting him was shaking as he gasped and moaned, his head dropping as he came hard enough to hit Stiles’ cheek.

“Damn!” Stiles laughed, “Guess I should close my eyes.”

He could still hear Derek panting and moaning above him, swearing softly as he recovered from what had to have been a mind blowing orgasm.

“Are they all like that?” Stiles asked, reaching up to wipe the spunk from his eyes, “Into my mouth, right?”

“Yeah,” Derek panted, “I got the rest.”

Stiles licked off his fingers and hummed in appreciation. There was a strange flavor to his leavings, salty and bitter, but an aftertaste of… pineapple? Stiles felt Derek lift one leg and reach for his entrance with soaked digits. He held his breath as Derek stroked him until he shivered and felt muscles flex that he hadn’t known he had. Stiles whined as Derek pushed his finger into Stiles’ body, the burn startling him until Derek curled it to find the opening inside his body that led to his womb. Stiles gasped as a jolt of pleasure went through him. He felt a strange pressure against his abdomen and looked down in surprise to see his gut swell a bit.

“What is _that_?” Stiles gasped.

“You’re opening up for me,” Derek breathed, “It’s like a pair of lips inside, mouthing at my finger.”

“And… that’s hot, right?” Stiles asked, worried that his body was somehow less appealing.

“That’s _beyond_ hot,” Derek growled, “Eat more.”

“Yeah, okay,” Stiles scooped some more of his leavings off of his neck and sucked them off his fingers, watching Derek’s eyes widen as he slurped at a digit, “What?”

“You have _no_ idea how sexy you are, do you?”

“Um, no?” Stiles felt his cheeks heat up, “I was kind of raised omega. We get, like, lessons in what to touch and what not to but not much description. I’ve seen some porn but my dad found out I was watching it and took it away. He said it wasn’t realistic and-“

Stiles’ words fell short as a jolt shot up his spine and his mouth fell open. He could barely breathe, but he forced air into his mouth and when he tried to let it out a deep moan filled the air.

“W-was that me?” Stiles gasped, “What… wow… what?”

“It’s starting,” Derek soothed, “Feel that?”

The hand Derek was using to finger him shifted and a thumb brushed over his taint. Stiles felt something inside of him shift and then a sliding motion just beneath his prick. Derek surprised him with a soft crooning sound and then the man moved further down to lap at something on Stiles that felt _divine_.

“Holy shit, my balls dropped and they’re, like, _awe_ some!” Stiles cheered.

“Just the one,” Derek laughed, but a second later the other slid down and Stiles moaned as Derek gave it a huge amount of attention by sucking it into his mouth.

“Oh my gods!” Stiles roared, and shook as a dry orgasm teased him while his cock bounced on his belly, “Derek, it’s not working!”

“It will,” Derek soothed, “Soon. Heat takes a while to kick in. You’re going to be a bit riled up for a few hours.”

“Riled up?!” Stiles whined, “I feel like I’m a wind up toy that’s been twisted too far!”

Derek nodded without an ounce of pity, and Stiles tried to tell him with absolute certainty that he was an ass. Except he had to do so using only his eyes since he could barely speak when Derek suckled on his other ball with astonishing skill. Stiles whined and thrashed in their nest, moaning as his body tortured him with the promise of a satisfaction he wasn’t capable of yet. Derek’s hand left his nether region and scooped up more of his copious fluids to press into him with a fresh wave of almost agonizing pleasure.

“Oh _gods_ , when?!” Stiles choked out.

“Soon, sweetheart, soon,” Derek chortled, licking at his neck.

“I am _so_ not a sweetheart. A babe. I’m a babe. Or a sexy. No wait, I’m definitely not sexy.”

“Oh, you’re sexy,” Derek argued weakly, then kneeled up and took away that perfect digit of his.

“No, no, no, no stopping. Not with the stopping.”

“Easy, Stiles, it will go further if I spread it around a bit,” Derek soothed, using both hands to work his leavings into Stiles’ skin.

“Can you like, speed it up with the eye thing? Because I think I’m willing to be blinded in order to move this along,” Stiles whimpered.

Derek huffed in amusement but didn’t try to drip anything anywhere else. He just kept making Stiles want him more and more until he was whining out pleas and trying to convince Derek he was ready to be fucked right then and there. Derek soothed him with gentle kisses and a few soft words of comfort. When he moved up a bit to mouth at Stiles’ cock he thought he’d die from the longing pounding through his body.

“Oh gods,” Stiles babbled helplessly, “I feel like I’m right on the edge. I swear I’m almost there. Can I come yet?”

Derek shook his head without taking his mouth off of Stiles’ member, knocking him gently against Derek’s teeth. Stiles whined at the change in friction and Derek popped off.

“You should rest,” He stated, ignoring Stiles’ sputtering to the contrary, “We’re going to be _very_ occupied soon.”

Stiles lay amongst the blankets draped over sweet smelling pine needles and thrashed in misery. His entire body was boiling hot and achy. It felt like days had passed but as Derek dozed lightly beside him the entire time it was probably closer to mere hours. Stiles whined piteously but Derek only sniffed lightly and made soft sounds of comfort in his sleep. Apparently his inner wolf had no reason to wake up until it was go time. Stiles made sure that some of his thrashing included a kick or two at the lazy Alpha just for good measure but he determinedly slept through it.

It wasn’t until the walls felt like they were closing in on him, despite instincts telling him to stay put in their shelter, that Derek finally opened his eyes. Stiles’ body was drenched in sweat and as he arched in agony he felt a sudden gush from his bottom that made him let out an alarmed squawk.

“It’s time,” Derek growled, eyes glowing red as he hovered over Stiles before pushing his legs apart with his knee and climbing between his drenched thighs, “You smell so good, Stiles. I need…”

Derek’s words trailed off as he leaned down to breath Stiles’ scent in from neck and then leaned back. He turned Stiles over with deft hands and the needy omega lifted his hips in longing with an agonized whine. Derek leaned down to smell along the crack of his soaked ass, before moaning and burying his face in between Stiles’ slick cheeks. Stiles whined and clawed at the bedding beneath him, pushing back against Derek’s face as his stubble tortured his sensitive flesh.

“Please. Please!” Stiles whined, “Derek, please! It hurts!”

Stiles was aching deep inside his core where it felt as if all of his body was swollen and pulsing, echoing the head of his cock. His body was burning up beneath Derek’s lapping tongue and he couldn’t take the empty feeling in his body. Derek’s squirmy tongue worked into his hole and gave him a taste of what was to come.

“Cruel!” Stiles accused, “I need you, Derek, please!”

“Easy,” Derek soothed, and then moved to cover him with his hard body.

Stiles whined and pushed back, trying to fuck himself onto Derek’s cock despite the fact he couldn’t manage an angle without looking. Stiles whined softly and Derek moved one hand to grasp his dick. He took himself in hand with a low groan and rubbed the head of his cock against Stiles’ pucker. Stiles whined and pushed back but Derek just moved with him to stop him from impaling himself.

“Slow down,” Derek growled.

“No! Speed _up!_ Get it _on_ with!”

Derek grasped his hip and pushed against him and Stiles whined as he felt pressure against his sex flushed opening. Stiles stilled in alarm, suddenly nervous and worried about what was about to happen between them. Derek groaned as he began to push into him, inching into his body until Stiles felt the intrusion as more than the relief he’d expected. It _hurt_ , but it also filled up a base need that Stiles had to have satisfied. So he breathed through the burn until Derek was fully seated, paused above him as he panted for control.

Stiles glanced down at his abdomen. He’d never been very defined, but the initial swelling, as his body opened up, had been a surprise for him. Now he was trying to see if Derek’s dick would poke out his belly like that hentai porn his dad had caught him watching. Derek’s head lifted and Stiles caught a flash of red that brought his own face up.

“Oh my gods,” Stiles breathed at the sight of Derek wolfed out, nostrils flairing, arms shaking as he restrained himself.

“RELAX,” Derek growled, out.

Stiles went completely limp and Derek grabbed his legs, hauled them up, and moved his hips back. Stiles let out a warbled whimper that he had _absolutely_ no control over. Derek leaving his body was _not okay_ , but the feel of his cock dragging down his insides was absolutely the most beautiful thing he’d ever felt. Stiles’ eyes fluttered and he flopped helplessly as Derek’s order stopped him from reaching up to grab at the man the way he wanted to. Derek pushed his legs further back, gripping them tightly under his knees and growling savagely. Stiles took in a deep breath as Derek’s cockhead was left the only part still connecting him. Then Stiles let out a scream as Derek punched back into him as hard as he could. Pleasure and pain mixed as the man above him moaned even as guilt flickered behind his eyes.

“Stiles…” Derek gasped.

“Gentle,” Stiles pleaded, “Dude, I’m like… new at this.”

Derek groaned, and shifted Stiles’ legs around him. Stiles whined as Derek’s scent flooded his nose when the man drew closer than ever as he stretched across him. Derek’s arms wrapped around Stiles, holding him as if he were precious. Stiles’ breath stuttered in his lungs. This was _torture_. To have this once and then never again… Stiles felt a moment of regret for the fact he was giving himself a taste of true mating only to lose it again. At least he wouldn’t have to live for long afterwards.

Stiles buried his face in the crook of Derek’s neck, breathing him in as the man began to rock slowly in and out of his body. Stiles gripped the alpha above him tightly with his legs, moaning as pleasure shifted through his body and he actually was able to _identify_ his womb. Derek was practically shaking as he restrained himself from the fast fucking he truly wanted. Stiles’ body was adjusting to Derek’s girth and the pain was slowly lessening as bliss began to swamp his mind. Derek groaned as if tortured, hips beginning to snap as his need ratcheted up.

“More,” Stiles gasped, shudders racking his body, “More! Fuck! I’m so close to…”

Stiles’ was reduced to gasping as Derek began to thrust him in earnest, lifting himself up from their tight embrace to plant his hands and drive into Stiles’ body. His hard pants and rolling hips were absolutely beautiful as he took Stiles apart. The omega was finally able to move his arms as Derek’s command wore off in the face of their mutual enjoyment. Stiles’ fingers dug into Derek’s shoulders, exclaiming an affirmative at the joy of touching. Derek’s mouth twitched in obvious pride at Stiles’ admiration of his body and his thrusts became hard drives into him as the alpha bared his teeth and growled possessively.

“Oh my gods, yes,” Stiles panted, exploring chest and tapered waist. He thumbed his nipples and whined in excitement when Derek let out an eager grunt in response.

“S’good,” Derek gasped, “Tight, hot, wet.”

“Not how I’m usually described,” Stiles gasped, then groaned as Derek’s angle changed and grazed something amazing, “Oh my gods! Again! Again!!”

Derek growled and rolled his hips and Stiles lost all control. He threw his head back and let out a claiming howl that Derek passionately echoed. The alpha’s deep, throaty, mournful cry lifted up at the end to something that contained _hope_. Stiles choked on his own sounds, tears filling the corners of his eyes. The omega took in a breath, fully ready to beg Derek to finish the job and _claim me, take me, own me, fill me, give me your cubs, anything, everything!_

Derek’s knot forming stopped Stiles’ words in his throat as something caught against his rim on the next thrust. Another pull and then Derek let out several desperate cries and grappled with Stiles’ legs, claws digging into the meat of his thighs as his feet scrambled for the force he needed to seat himself fully in Stiles’ body. Stiles tried to summon the breath to plea with him as he’d wanted to, but the base of Derek’s cock was swelling and Stiles was suddenly overwhelmed with a spark of pain just as his orifice began to flex and clench against his will. Stiles cried out and Derek moaned deeply as his knot pulsed against the walls of Stiles’ passage.

“Oh gods,” Derek gasped, his voice ragged as he ground his hips into Stiles’ body.

Stiles reached down, overwhelmed and curious about Derek’s place inside of his body. He also _needed_ to touch his dick. He’d never felt it fully hard before and _something_ was happening to his formerly-hidden balls that he absolutely needed to fondle. Stiles’ hands left Derek and wondered down his body, over the pulsing abdomen where Derek’s cock was literally rocking his abdomen and down to a hard rod that was so foreign he skipped over it after just glancing over the base. He cupped the two soft orbs that had eluded him for so long, but they were crawling back up into his body at a fast rate.

“No! What? Why?”

“Don’t fight it,” Derek panted, eyes glowing bright red as he stared down at Stiles, “Come for me, Stiles. Do it. I want to hear you _scream_.”

That was unlikely to be a problem. Derek moved Stiles’ legs around his waist and Stiles clutched him tightly, whimpering in fear at the burning pressure in his body. Something was bowing his back and shaking him to the core. His legs were twitching and he could barely catch his breath. When Derek snaked a hand between him and took his aching member in hand Stiles _did_ scream, as something between fear and excitement coursed through his body. Derek’s calloused hand traced lighting over the flesh of his rod that arched into his abdomen, teased his balls, wrapped around his back, and flew up his spine to his brain. Stiles lit up like a Christmas tree, screaming his pleasure to the heavens as hot fluids pulsed out of his body from a part of him that he never knew could function. Stiles’ body clenched down on Derek’s knot and the Alpha cried out, cock pulsing in Stiles’ body. A wild howl tore from him, something new and unidentifiable as he arched and his hand fondling Stiles’ cock fumbled to drag more from him than Stiles thought he could manage. Stiles whimpered and arched in agonized bliss and Derek whined in agreement. Stiles was shaking but Derek was clearly far worse off as while Stiles’ climax was through his was just beginning.

The alpha above him was gasping, shaking, eyes rolling in absolute joy. He grunted, moaned, and rolled his hips desperately as Stiles lay beneath him and gently caressed his chest, shoulders, and neck.

“Yeah, that’s it, baby,” Stiles breathed, “You’re okay, sweetheart. You’re good. Let it happen.”

Derek whined helplessly and collapsed over Stiles, arms wrapping around him to press him tightly against his body. Derek was rocking him from side to side, shuddering as orgasm after orgasm wracked his body. Stiles took the time to run his fingers through Derek’s hair, savoring the thick silk and scratching at his scalp more than once when it brought a soft breath huffing against his throat.

“Stiles, Stiles, Stiles,” Derek gasped.

Every pulse of his cock was pushing more hot fluids into Stiles’ body. He could feel a strange tension building as his gut swelled with Derek’s seed and that overwhelming hope hit him so hard he had to gasp for air. If he had Derek’s cubs he would have _something_ to live for. Something that might help him focus and stay alive for just a little bit. Something that would give him hope and the family he’d always wanted. It wasn’t the one he’d planned, but it would be better than nothing. It would be enough to struggle through years of heats until his body gave out on him. Maybe even find a beta to help him manage so he could live longer for his _cub_.

“Mm, yeah, Derek,” Stiles breathed, “Holy shit, I can _feel_ you filling me up. Just a little more, baby. Give me _more_. I _need_ it.”

Derek let out a broken sob, clutching at Stiles and rocking into him harder as his body tried hard to push into him even more.

“I c-can’t,” Derek gasped, “Fuck, Stiles, I’ve got nothing left.”

“It’s okay,” Stiles soothed, rubbing his back gently, “We have _days_ left for you to fuck me full.”

“Yes,” Derek sighed, his body slowly relaxing against him.

Derek’s weight became too heavy for Stiles, who huffed out a hard breath and tapped on his shoulder, “Dude. Heavy.”

Derek sighed as if put upon and rolled over, shifting Stiles’ limbs so that he could lay him safely over his own body. Stiles sighed happily, settling into the soft flesh of Derek’s shoulder braced by thick muscle. Stiles ran his fingers in circles over Derek’s chest and let the slow pulse of their post-orgasmic, sex swollen bodies ease him to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Stiles’ heat became far more intense after that. He spent the next several days moaning and panting and demanding Derek fill him in all ways. He also demanded different positions at every turn. His favorite was ass up, face down with Derek pounding him from behind. He was long past the point of even being able to process pain. He screamed in pleasure at every thrust and pushed back for more. Whenever Derek knotted him he was reduced to begging for _more_. More of Derek’s spunk filling his belly and more of the knot that held it in, hoping and longing for Derek’s seed to take root.

Most of the rest of the positions were just uncomfortable, especially while he was tied to Derek’s shaft for a half an hour afterwards. Sometimes it required they twist about until they could get comfortable and Derek swore angrily at him for abusing him the entire time.

Stiles’ second favorite was straddling an exhausted Derek on the third day while he was barely conscious. He rode him to his own completion and was actually surprised when Derek’s knot began to swell. Derek whined, his eyes wide with longing as he bucked up for access. Stiles had to get his legs under himself and drop down _hard_ to force the knot inside, but there was no way in hell he was giving up a chance for more of Derek’s sperm. He gasped as Derek gripped his hips and began to practically shake him in an attempt to get Stiles to stimulate his knot.

“Fuck!” Stiles shouted, then began rocking and rolling his hips as he gasped and Derek’s arms strained to move him faster and harder, the tendons in his arms bulging as he moaned and sighed beneath him, “You are so fucking gorgeous. How did I get this lucky? I want to memorize you just like this. Where the fuck is my phone when I need it, you know? Like, I want _pictures.”_

 _“_ Stop talking,” Derek panted, “Please, just stop talking for five minutes.”

“Sorry,” Stiles winced.

Sometimes he forgot this wasn’t a _proper_ mating. There had been no claiming bite no matter how many times Derek’s face was shoved against the very spot he needed to have his teeth against. Derek didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with Derek raising strikingly handsome and ADD riddled children. He wanted Stiles gone in a matter of hours after his heat left and Stiles was going to _die_ of loneliness. Literally, if Derek hadn’t pumped him full of cute little werebabies.

Derek groaned and arched beneath him, his hands keeping Stiles from being dislodged as he bucked and moaned. Stiles hadn’t been joking about memorizing him. He studied Derek’s face in the throes of passion as if it were his saving grace. Well it might be in the years- or days- that would follow. Stiles caressed his chest and lovingly dabbed the sweat that beaded on his temple. Derek’s orgasm lasted for another three minutes- Stiles counted- and when he finally sagged in relief with a heavy sigh Stiles was shocked to find a sudden flood at his backside.

“What? No! NO!” Stiles threw himself sideways, ignoring Derek’s cock bobbing weakly as it went quickly soft.

“Oh thank gods,” Derek breathed, “Wow. I mean. Amazing, obviously, omega heats are fucking fantastic, but… still, thank _gods_ that’s over.”

“Over?!” Stiles asked, voice cracking.

“Well, yeah,” Derek sighed, stretching as he started to slur his words as sleep overcame him, “Your heats over. Surprised I got it up again. S’done.”

Stiles lay there, clenching his muscles in a desperate attempt to keep the last of Derek’s gift in his body, fighting back tears as Derek dropped off to sleep. Over the last few days they’d slept wrapped tightly together, sometimes tied but almost always with Derek inside of him even when only half hard from heat hormones and exhaustion. Stiles had never felt so empty in his life and he was starting to hyperventilate. No matter how much he clenched Derek’s fluids were leaking out of him. He cupped his hand over his ass and rooted through Derek’s satchel until he found a cup which he made an honest attempt to shove _backwards_ into his own ass. He couldn’t get it in. It slipped and slid and shifted partway in but his own body’s post-climax spasms were working against him now that there was no knot to stimulate. Stiles whined and sobbed as another gush left his body clenching on air, a puddle of come on the blankets beneath him.

It was over. Stiles was empty and Derek was finished with him. He’d gotten what he’d begged for- a hot, sexy, alpha-induced heat to give him the life experience he’d longed for. He felt sick. His body stank of Derek and sex and he knew that within a day he’d have to _wash it all off_ and go limping out of the reserve to face his father.

Soiled.

Hopefully impregnated.

 _Mateless_.

Depressed.

With no future.

No law enforcement opportunities if he had a kid, and no life if he didn’t have one.

His life, as he knew it, was quite literally over.

Stiles let himself fall apart then. Lying in a puddle of cold, sticky come, sweat, and tears. He sobbed grossly until long after he’d run out of snot and tears, until his body was a mass of achy regret. Derek was practically unconscious beside him. He’d stirred a bit and made a few huffs meant to be comforting out of sheer instinct, but he was out cold in post-mating recuperative sleep. Now was the time when the omega should be cleaning them both up, Stiles’ energy at it’s height since omegas spent most of their mating time passive while the alpha’s took them over and again. Stiles finally pried himself up from their soiled nest and crawled out. Grass and needles from their bedding was sticking to him as if Derek’s spunk were sap and he grimaced at the sight. He might as well do as his instincts were demanding. Stiles scooped up a few containers and walked to the little stream, glad to see that it must have rained recently since it was flowing deeper. In the past they’d only been able to use it to drink but not bathe or cook. Now there was enough water to slowly collect it as it trickled down and filled their- _Derek’s_ \- bowls. Stiles carried them two at a time back to the nest and used a rag to sop up the water and gently wash Derek. He did as he’d been taught in school and started with Derek’s face as if he were a child. He went from cleaner areas to dirty, ending by gently washing his flaccid cock. Derek was chaffed here and whimpered a bit as Stiles cleaned him as carefully as he could. When he was done he considered washing himself the same way and then just dismissed it. He’d have to get a much more thorough scrubbing done to get Derek’s scent off of him. He was bound for the river.

Stiles collected a single bowl as a souvenir of their time together. Derek had made it himself and while they’d been waiting for his heat to kick in he’d told him how to care for the wood by putting a coating of animal fat over it. There was fat cooled off for that very purpose- or for lanterns- that Derek had collected and placed in a glass jar. It was hanging up above them in his bear-proof food trap. Stiles lowered the trap and collected what he needed, devouring some dried meat that Derek had gone and gotten from somewhere… he’d probably looted another mating couple.

Stiles had no clothes with him. He’d been sent out with boxers and a sleeping bag and lost the sleeping bag before he’d even found Scott ravaging Isaac. Stiles whined as he shivered and looted Derek right back, leaving with a scratchy blanket after gently tucking the alpha into the other one. He pressed a kiss to his slack lips and slipped off into the night. Stiles used his nose to find the river again and tied his blanket up a tree with his food and bowl stashed inside.

Then he set about the absolutely torturous task of washing Derek’s scent off of his body.

XXX

It was a good eight hours, a bowl scrubbing, and a second bath later when Scott found Stiles. Stiles could only partially hear the whispered conversation with Isaac that entailed him making the beta-turned-omega stay behind while he approached Stiles.

“H-hey buddy,” Scott tried.

Stiles was waist deep in the water. Until he’d heard Scott approaching he was working his fingers into his sore entrance to wash the last of Derek’s leavings behind. Now he was absently rubbing his fingers through some silt to get it off his digits. He sniffed at them and kept going even though he smelled only loam and algae.

“So… umm… it looks like things didn’t work out how we’d planned,” Scott said softly, “The thing is… I mean… you know… we’d never been able to… you know… get into each other. I mean, I know _you_ couldn’t, and it’s not that you’re not totally hot, but I guess you’re more like a brother to me? I mean, you didn’t find your mate so you can’t possibly know what it’s like to feel this… this… _intense_ longing! I mean, when you find him or her you’ll know why I couldn’t wait for you, Stiles. It’s… it’s…”

“Like smelling steak cooking for the first time?” Stiles offered softly, “When all you’d been eating your whole life was wet catfood?”

“Ew. Um. Well… I guess…”

“Like crisp, clear water running over your tongue?”

“Yeah, like…”

Stiles sighed and turned slowly to face his former best friend, “Like your eyes are seeing color for the first time after everything’s been black and white forever and ever?”

“Stiles… you’re freaking me out,” Scott said softly, “I don’t smell like that to you… do I?”

“No, Scott,” Stiles sighed softly, “Not you.”

Stiles sloshed out of the water and reached for his blanket while Scott took in a sharp breath.

“Dude! Your balls dropped! You _did_ find a mate!” Scott cheered, punching his arm and then backing off suddenly, “Oh, shit. Sorry. You probably don’t want me near you till he re-scents you after your bath. Um… where is he?”

Stiles pulled his stuff out of his blanket and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, sitting down on a rock to nibble at the last of his jerky and stare forlornly at his bowl.

“She?” Scott tried.

Stiles heaved out a heavy sigh and stared out across the river. It was so wide that the morning fog was still hanging over the little island in the middle. Stiles wondered if there was food on the island. He’d maybe go there for a while and just be with nature. Derek had taught him about survival when they’d been in between fucking and sleeping and Stiles had drank it up. He loved information. He loved Derek’s voice. He loved _Derek_ , even if he was a cantankerous old werebunny in a sexy young werewolf’s body.

“Stiles?” Scott whispered, crouching down and giving him a worried look, “Stiles, what happened?”

Stiles shrugged miserably, “Can I walk out with you two?”

“Sure,” Scott nodded, swallowing hard and staring at him with fear in his eyes, “But Stiles…”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Stiles stated, standing up and trying to tie his blanket into a toga.

Scott helped. He was dressed only in his boxers but alphas didn’t feel the cold like omegas did. He got Stiles mostly dressed and tried to take his hand but Stiles pulled it away. He kept his distance as they met up with Isaac, a dirty blonde youth with curly hair and shy eyes. As Scott approached he looked at him as if he set the moon in the sky and brought werewolves to their peak. Stiles’ heart felt as if it tore completely in half at that moment and he just let the tears fall as he trudged behind the two werewolves heading towards the boundary of the preserve. Scott glanced back at him every few hundred yards, worry in his eyes, but he didn’t try to speak to him again. Stiles was allowed to mourn the entire three hour walk to the boundary.

Stiles’ father was waiting with a few other officers there mainly to stop any disputes that might arise as unmated omegas emerged. They were free to date after their first mating run, but the alphas weren’t allowed to harass them while they were emotional from having spent a week alone in the woods without a mate or pack connections. Stiles made a beeline for his father, not sure how he’d react. They’d been fighting so much before the mating run and Stiles had thrown in his face more than once that he’d be with Scott soon and his dad would have the house _all to himself_. Sheriff Stilinski had snarled a few responses at him that were hurtful but expected when teenagers fought with their parents. Stiles was sure his dad loved him, but to put up with a son who was as annoying as Stiles _and_ a soiled failure?

Stilinski paused, giving Stiles’ tattered boxers and damp blanket toga a shocked look. Stiles had washed the blanket and shorts for good measure so he was sure that nothing smelled like Derek, but it meant he was extra cold and it was chaffing his shoulders horribly. His father’s eyes widened at the sight of Scott introducing Isaac to his mother, eyes glistening with happy tears while Melissa pulled him in for a tight hug.

“Oh no,” Stilinski groaned, “I knew your cute little pack cuddles were too platonic, but the way you two were so inseparable I just… I’m so sorry, Stiles.”

“Yeah,” Stiles half shrugged.

“C’mere, son,” Stilinski pulled him into a tight hug and Stiles leaned against his father in relief.

Stilinski rubbed his chin across Stiles’ head and Stiles choked on a sob, relieved to be accepted back into his father’s pack despite all that had happened. His father would find out he was ‘soiled’ eventually, but thankfully that wasn’t a scent thing. His father would find out either when Stiles told him or when his corpse showed up with Stiles’ balls dropped. By then there would be no trace of Stiles’ rendezvous with Derek and no one would be any the wiser as to who had driven Stiles to suicide. Of course, if he ended up with a bun in the oven he’d have to convince everyone to forgo paternity testing while he raised his cubs, but he was determined to protect Derek for as long as possible.

“I’m sorry, son,” Stilinski soothed, rubbing Stiles’ back, “We’ll find your mate. He’s got to be in the nearby counties. It’s not like we’ve traveled far. Maybe you met him during a school lacrosse meet? Hm? Wouldn’t that be nice? An athlete?”

“Yeah,” Stiles replied softly, “Can we go get food? I’m starved.”

“Sure,” Stilinski chuckled, “Let me finish up things here. You wait in the cruiser, okay?”

“M’kay,” Stiles trudged off, and Stilinski called after him that there was a change of clothes on the seat.

Stiles dressed as carefully as he could, making sure no one outside the cruiser got a peak at his descended testicles. When he was covered with fresh clothes he curled up into passenger seat, laid his head awkwardly onto the driver’s seat, and let himself fall asleep with his father’s comforting scent filling his nose.

XXX

Stiles waited for the requisite month before stocking up on a pile of pregnancy tests, locking himself in the bathroom overnight, and peeing on stick after stick.

Negative. All negative.

Stiles sighed miserably and got himself up off the side of the tub. His dad would be home in an hour and Stiles had to find a way into his gun safe. He changed the code weekly to keep Stiles out, so that might have been a lost cause. Stiles thought it over a bit and then decided there had to be an easier way to take himself out. He sat down at his keyboard and started googling. About half an hour later his father burst into the room with wide, terrified eyes and gave Stiles an absolutely devastated look.

“What happened?” Stiles asked, heart lurching as his father walked into the room and dragged him into a tight hug.

“ _What happened_ is that I had Jordan put a bug on your computer that would text me certain search words,” His father replied, squeezing him tightly, “Suicide, Stiles? Damn it, why?!”

“I’m sorry,” Stiles muttered miserably.

“Why?” Stiles’ father stepped back, “I know you’re upset about losing your best friend, but there are other alphas out there! You don’t even give them the time of day!”

“I…” Stiles shrugged miserably, and then had a thought about what would break this to his father easily, “Dad you should look in the bathroom.”

“What will I find in there?” Stilinski asked.

“Just look, okay?”

“Fine,” He growled, “But you’re coming with me.”

He dragged Stiles by his wrist and opened the door to find pregnancy tests scattered everywhere. His father stared at them blankly for a moment and then slowly shut the door.

“Who?”

“Dad,” Stiles sighed, “It doesn’t matter.”

“Like hell it doesn’t! _Who violated my son!”_ Stilinski roared, turning flashing red eyes on Stiles that had him choking down the answer and shaking where he stood.

“I won’t let you hurt him, he’s been hurt enough!” Stiles forced out, digging his claws into the palms of his hands to stop himself from screaming Derek’s name at his alpha’s orders.

“Fine. We’ll wait till the baby’s born and-“

“No baby,” Stiles replied, “I’d have hung around for that.”

“So they’re all negative? Then why…?”

“Because I’m _spoiled goods_ , dad,” Stiles choked out miserably, punching the wall as anger warred with his sorrow, “I’ve got no hope of finding another alpha now, I don’t want to spend my life with a beta when I _know_ who my mate is and I can’t have him! I want _nothing_ to do with _anything_ ever again. I want everything to just _stop!”_

“We can get a court order,” His father started.

“I don’t want to _rape_ him once a year during my heat,” Stiles growled, “You’ve always said those laws were bordering on cruel and abusive, dad. You’re going to employ them?”

“To save my son’s life, _yes!_ ” Stilinski forced out.

Stiles let out a sad sigh as his father’s heavy breathing caught on a sob. There were _tears_ in his father’s eyes and he’d put them there. Stiles had been so busy fearing for his future and hating his life that he’d forgotten that he was _all_ his father had.

“I don’t know what to do,” Stiles told him softly, “I’ve got _no_ future.”

“Jordan is single,” Stilinski told him, “I’ll talk to him. He won’t care about any stupid rules about virginal omegas. He’s worked in Special Victims long enough to know you can’t _soil_ omegas. He’ll let you be a cop. That’s what you wanted, right?”

“Yes,” Stiles nodded, a bit of hope blossoming, “You really think… you really think that will work? What if he finds his own mate?”

“Once you two are bonded he won’t be able to scent them anymore. He’ll be with you. Claimed, just as much as you’d be. Okay?”

“Yeah, I guess, I mean… if he wants that, too.”

“Trust me, most alphas would rather be _with_ an omega than not,” Stilinski stated firmly, “That whole societal bullshit about ruined omegas is what stops them from acting when they want one, but it’s ignored more than the media will let you know. Your life isn’t _over_ Stiles. It’s just beginning. You can have cubs with Jordan. You’ll grow to love him.”

Stiles shrugged slightly, “I guess… I guess we could try. It’s not like I went into those woods expecting a lifetime of love with Scott… just… you know… a great friendship and sex and a job.”

“Exactly,” Stilinski stated, “We’ll make this work.”

“Okay,” Stiles took in a deep, cleansing breath, “Let’s go talk to him.”

“That’s the spirit.”


	3. Chapter 3

Derek crawled out of his new burrow, frowning at the mess around him. He was still trying to make a garden in the clearing that would feed him for the winter but he didn’t have time to grow more than a few squashes and Laura was _not_ letting him near her ever again. He’d be an omega eventually, but perhaps that was for the best. Maybe an alpha would claim him during the spring run and he could have a normal life.

A life without Stiles.

Without his adorable laugh and sweet smelling skin.

Without his tight body wrapped around him so sensually.

Without the way he’d find fascination in anything and everything Derek had to say.

_I should have begged him. I should have told him I wanted to mate. Why did I push him away?_

_Because you knew you weren’t good for him_ , Laura’s voice whispered angrily in his head, _Because you’re cursed. Because he looked at you like you hung the moon but you know full well that being around you would tear it from the sky._

“Stiles,” Derek sighed, his lips forming the words without his control on a regular basis. He felt like it was the only word he said anymore and every time he spoke it made his heart ache.

“You rang?” Stiles’ voice chirped.

Derek jumped and spun around.

Stiles looked so strange in clothes. Derek had never seen him dressed and the sexy little twink didn’t look right in skateboard shoes and a flannel overshirt. Stiles should be wearing tight jeans and an even tighter shirt… preferably stretched over his cub-swollen belly.

“Stiles,” Derek choked out, and then carefully restrained himself from running at him and clutching him tightly.

“I just wanted to let you know I didn’t conceive,” Stiles told him, “I know it was a longshot, but I didn’t want you wondering if you had a cub out there.”

“Thanks,” Derek growled out gravelly, “It’s good to know. Reassuring.”

“Yeah, but there’s still time,” Stiles stated, nodding and gesturing to Derek, “See, if you claim me _now_ than I can’t marry Parrish tomorrow- Oh, by the way my dad arranged a marriage for me to one of his chums- and then I can come back to you when my next heat hits and you can stuff me full of little Hales. Then your family line won’t die off!”

“Wh-what?” Derek stammered, shocked by his words.

“Yeah, see you and your sister are well on your way to being omegas, but if you claim me you’ll be an alpha no matter how long you’re apart from others. Only betas cross over naturally, after all. So, are we going to do this thing? Or what?”

“You… you want me to claim you, but… stay here?”

“Yeah, I mean, that’s what you want, isn’t it? You get all the perks. An omega to fuck. Your privacy and solitude. Your family line continued. No responsibilities. I’ll even bring them by to visit you if you want.”

Stiles stuffed both hands in the hood of his jacket and smiled happily at Derek as if he’d just handed him the world on a platter. Derek thought he might have, in a way. Stiles had just offered him a way to be with the gorgeous omega, to give him the freedom of being a mated omega, and the family that they both craved, but without involving Derek’s disastrous self.

“What if I can’t get you pregnant?” Derek worried.

“More heats mean more sex,” Stiles shrugged, “I’ll probably go on birth control eventually anyway. Being pregnant and a cop? Not so awesome.”

“Right,” Derek nodded.

“You’ll have to sign my papers so I can hold down a job and get birth control and stuff, but if I get an alpha to witness it you can just sign with an ‘X’ so nobody ever has to know it’s you. I figured we can trust Scott because he’s putty in my hands since his ‘betrayal’.”

“So… so you’ll just… keep me a secret?” Derek asked hopefully.

“Safest route,” Stiles nodded, then pulled his shirt to one side, “Just need your ‘chomp of approval’”

Derek watched Stiles chuckle at his own stupid joke, eyes dancing and smile covering whatever anxieties he must have been harboring. Clearly he didn’t want to marry this Parrish alpha and Derek… Derek wanted him every single second of the day. He’d settle for the quarterly heats that Stiles would have when not pregnant.

Derek didn’t remember moving, but a second later he was right up against Stiles, who gasped at his sudden encroachment. Stiles smelled of sour anxiety and sharp fear, but also of the spicy scent of arousal and something Derek had never caught a whiff of before. He pulled him tightly against himself, hand pressed to the curve of his lower back and the other holding his head steady by gripping his hair tightly. Derek brought out his teeth and bit down hard on the exposed flesh of Stiles’ shoulder. Stiles cried out in pain but Derek held him firmly while he gnawed on his flesh until he was sure that the mark wouldn’t _ever_ heal completely. Stiles was _his_ and it set him aflame to know that no one would ever touch the gorgeous omega except Derek.

Derek couldn’t help himself. His hand slid down to cup Stiles’ ass and give that lush bottom a squeeze. Stiles moaned loudly and his hips rolled into Derek’s in eager acceptance.

“Oh, yeah,” Stiles moaned, “I am so down for that.”

Derek growled hungrily, freed his teeth, and threw Stiles over his shoulder.

“Oh my gods! I’m bleeding! I’m bleeding so much! There’s so much blood! I’m going to die!”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Derek growled, “You won’t bleed to death. You’re a werewolf.”

“I’m not healing!” Stiles panicked.

“It’s an alpha bite,” Derek scolded, giving his bottom a spank, “It’ll heal slower.”

“But I won’t bleed to death?” Stiles whined.

“Nope,” Derek replied, laying him down inside his burrow, “Now pick a position because we’re going to be in it for a while.”

Stiles flailed and Derek hid a smile at his amusing behavior. He couldn’t seem to decide what position he wanted to the point where he was almost frantic. Derek decided for him and flipped him over onto his belly. He loved Stiles from this position. It certainly didn’t deny him eye contact since the adorable omega would happily twist about to stare over his shoulder at him. What it did do was give Derek a full view of Stiles’ writhing body, full ass, and all his decorative moles. Derek loved to watch Stiles’ muscles flex as he pushed back for more, and he wasn’t about to deny himself that view when he was going to be missing Stiles for months at a time.

Derek hefted Stiles up onto his knees and started stripping him of his trousers and boxers. Stiles whined and tugged his shirt off before casting a look over his shoulder.

“You too! Gimme!”

Derek snorted and stripped his shirt off. Stiles hummed appreciatively and reached down to grip his cute little prick. Derek reached down as well, but he went for his bollocks and palmed them appreciatively.

“These… are mine,” Derek stated softly, his voice firm as he jiggled Stiles’ little balls.

“All yours,” Stiles purred, “Mm, yeah, rub em like they’re lucky.”

“Stiles?”

“Hm?”

“Shut up,” Derek huffed, trying not to laugh and spoil the mood. Derek reached down to find Stiles’ wet entrance and begin working it open, “Why didn’t you just ask me to do this the first time? I’d have _never_ let you go home without my mark.”

“I thought you wanted me to shut up?” Stiles whined through the initial burn.

“Answer me. Without joking.”

“D-didn’t think you wanted to,” Stiles panted as Derek twisted his fingers inside the omegas now dripping wet entrance. Stiles gave him a nervous glance over his shoulder, “It’s not like I didn’t offer myself up on a platter.”

Derek acknowledged him with a soft hum. He didn’t know what to say further. He could tell Stiles about how lonely he’d been since his ostrasization. He could tell him how much making love to Stiles had reminded him of his solitude. He could tell him that he’d cried himself to sleep every night since Stiles slipped away while he slept, leaving him bereft and howling hopelessly for a packmate who wasn’t properly bound to him. He could tell him he thought he was funny, adorable, and irresistibly sexy. Instead he responded with a soft, “Not like this. Not without some _thought_ behind it. You just wanted a lay. Now you _need a mate_.”

“Yes,” Stiles groaned, pushing back eagerly as Derek worked his prostate perfectly, “Yes, _there_ , and also, yes. Mate. My mate. Your mate. I’m your mate. Oh my gods, this is happening. I didn’t think it would work. I expected you to laugh in my face.”

“Ha,” Derek growled teasingly, sliding his fingers free and lining up, “Ha.”

Derek thrust home and Stiles let out a punched sound that petered off to a whimper. Derek paused, rubbing his hip and letting the dizzy young man catch up with him. Stiles made a happy coo and reached back to pet Derek’s thigh.

“S’nice,” Stiles sighed, “So full. Finally.”

Derek slid free with a groan, his cock twitching as Stiles’ body tried to suck him back in. The angle was perfect. Stiles’ womb might be closed for the season, but his prostate was fair game and Derek was going to bring him off hand free if it was the last thing he did. Without the haze of heat making them sex crazed he could focus on enjoying Stiles’ body.

Derek’s hands roamed over Stiles’ back as he fucked himself on Derek’s rock hard dick. It was beautiful to watch him writhe back on him with low moans of pleasure, arching his back to find his sweet spot while Derek rolled his hips just enough to feel engaged. When Stiles let out a soft keen of longing and need Derek began to thrust against him fully.

“Yes,” Stiles groaned, “That’s it. Fill me up. I fucking _need_ this!”

Derek growled as Stiles’ words tore through him like a shot. His inner werewolf was starved for his mate and the very idea of Stiles having any kind of need made it throw its head back and howl. If Stiles asked for it than Derek would rip the moon out of the sky and offer it to him. Instead Stiles wanted him to breed him and Derek was gasping at the thought of filling his belly with cubs.

Far too soon Derek’s knot was swelling and Stiles was gagging for it as Derek gave two hard thrusts to tie them together. Stiles swore, gasped, and began to toss himself off almost frantically. Derek’s eyes rolled in his head and he moaned in bliss as pleasure throbbed through his veins. Stiles’ body was torture and paradise all in one willowy package and Derek’s nails were leaving crescent moons on his hips to prove his fanaticism.

“Stiles!” Derek barked out, his knot pulsing inside of him, “I’m…c…”

“P-please!” Stiles gasped.

Derek forced one hand to release and practically sagged across Stiles, his torso still quivering in pleasure, before forcing a hand down to knock Stiles’ aside. Derek growled in approval as he felt Stiles’ rod twitch in his hand. Just a few quick strokes and Stiles was joining him in bliss, crying out for Derek in the most beautiful of ways.

“Mate! My mate! Gods, yes, Derek! Ah!”

Stiles panted over and again and then sagged beneath him. Derek was already draped over him so they went down together. Stiles let out a pained wheeze and Derek carefully pulled him tight against him while struggling to rise. He rolled them onto their sides, tucking Stiles against him when the young man flailed in his arms.

“Easy, easy,” Derek soothed, stroking his chest.

“Wish I was on heat,” Stiles sighed, reaching down to stroke his swollen abdomen.

Derek’s hand wandered as well, unintentionally teasing along Stiles’ fingers, “You feel pregnant like this.”

“Uh-huh,” Stiles yawned, “Is that sexy or gross?”

“Sexy,” Derek growled, “Definitely sexy. Fill you with my cubs.”

Stiles crooned softly, “Yeah, you mentioned. That whole… _need_ thing really does it for you, doesn’t it?”

Stiles’ voice sounded hesitant, but it was the sincerity beneath it that got Derek to respond.

“All Alphas want to feel needed,” Derek explained softly, “We all want to feel like we can’t be lived without.”

Stiles chuckled, “I think it’s pretty clear I couldn’t go long without you, big guy.”

Derek smiled softly, nuzzling into the back of Stiles’ hair and breathing in his intoxicating scent. Stiles settled into him with a heavy sigh and was soon sound asleep. It was then Derek noticed the bags beneath his eyes and how much weight Stiles had lost since the last time he’d seen him. He stroked his hands along Stiles’ rib cage and his sharp hips and worried his bottom lip. He was worried that Stiles wasn’t being properly cared for. Derek promised himself he’d grill Stiles about what sort of environment his cubs would be growing up in.

Later.

Once he’d had a _lot_ of sleep.

XXX

“Dad! I’m home!” Stiles called, stomping the slush off his shoes. The mountains had blown in some chill and they had just enough for flurries. Normally Stiles would be ecstatic but part of him was stupidly worried for Derek.

“Where the _hell_ have you been?!” John Stilinski roared, storming towards him, “I’ve been worried sick!”

“Sorry, dad,” Stiles replied with a heavy sigh, “I had a few things to take care of.”

“Like _what_?” Stilinski snapped.

“Like cancelling my wedding tomorrow,” Stiles stated, pulling his collar down, “Don’t worry; I’ll break it to Parrish.”

Stiles’ father was so stunned he just stood there for a moment staring after Stiles until the young man was halfway up the steps.

“Wait!” Stilinski called, shaking himself alert, “Where is he?”

“He who?” Stiles asked pausing and glancing over his shoulder.

“Sorry, I just assumed… where’s _she_ , then?”

“She who?” Stiles shrugged, giving his father a baffled look.

“The alpha that bit you!” Stilinski snapped.

“Oh. Him. Yeah, he would be correct,” Stiles turned to continue his climb but made it less than a step before his father spat out.

“STOP! What the hell is this, Stiles?” Stilinski climbed the stairs quickly and leaned in to sniff at his son, “You don’t _smell_ like anyone! You smell like _mint!”_

“It’s my new soap. You like?” Stiles asked lamely.

“No, I don’t _like,_ Stiles! Where the hell is your mate?!”

“Oh!” Stiles slapped his forehead exaggeratedly, “That’s what you’re going on about?”

“Yes. Yes, Stiles,” Stilinski snapped, “ _That’s_ what I’m going on about.”

“Mexico,” Stiles stated quickly, then turned and fled.

Stilinski followed, “Why the hell is he in Mexico?!”

“He went home,” Stiles shrugged, flopping down on his bed.

“How the _hell_ are you two going to be mates if he’s in Mexico and you’re here?!” Stiles’ dad flailed helplessly.

“Well, he doesn’t speak much English,” Stiles stated, picking up a comic book, “And I don’t speak much Spanish, but I think he’s going to visit for my heats.”

“And your cubs?” Stilinski croaked.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll visit them, too,” Stiles nodded, and then held up a page to his book, “That Spiderman. I love his sense of humor. Always chill and-“

“This is a joke, right? That’s it? This is your sense of humor?” the Sherriff spat out, eager for another solution.

“Oh, no,” Stiles shook his head, “No, this is serious, but don’t worry. I got him to sign off on college, work, and even a loan application… just in case I need one.”

Stiles winked at his dad and went back to his comic, shifting around on the bed to get comfortable while his father gaped at him.

“This can’t be happening,” Stilinski stammered, “Get up.”

“Why?”

“I’m taking you to see Deaton.”

“Why?” Stiles was baffled.

“Because there is something _seriously wrong with you!_ ” Stilinski replied sharply, “So let’s go! Now!”

XXX

“There’s nothing wrong with your son,” Deaton stated, putting his stethoscope down.

“See?” Stiles grinned, “Now can we go home?”

“He’s got a _mating mark_ ,” Stilinski insisted.

“Ah yes,” Deaton nodded, “Thank you for reminding me: Congratulations Stiles.”

“Thanks! See, that’s what you do when someone gets a mate, Dad.”

“Yeah, so where’s the mate?” Stilinski snarled, following Stiles out of the doctor’s office and down the hospital hallway.

“In Mexico,” Stiles reminded him, “Dude, are _you_ okay? Maybe we should be taking _you_ to see Deaton about your memory.”

“I remember you coming home _devastated_ without your virginity in tact,” Stilinski snarled, not caring who heard them in the crowded building, “And me arranging you a mate who wouldn’t care, and now you’ve got a different one!”

“Sorry dad,” Stiles shrugged, “That’s the way the omega bends over.”

“Never. Say. That. Again,” Stiles’ father insisted, grabbing his arm to halt his forward motion and poking him in the chest with each word.

“Sorry,” Stiles shrugged.

“I want to know why he isn’t _here_ where he’s supposed to be,” Stilinski insisted, finally lowering his voice and giving Stiles a pained look.

“My Spanish is “rusty”,” Stiles snapped, putting his fingers up in quotes for the final word, “Dad, I’m sorry but we’re just not going to be a typical family. It’s fine! He’ll visit and I’ll be able to do things my way. Win/win!”

“There is no way in hell I’m never going to meet this guy!”

“Well, duh,” Stiles huffed.

That apparently took it too far and John gave him a shake.

“Stiles, this is _serious!_ You’re going to be asked a _lot_ more hurtful questions by the rest of this town!”

“Then I guess it will prepare me for the harshness of the real world,” Stiles snapped, pulling his arm free and pointing at where his father had touched him, “I’m _mated_ now. Hands off the goods. They belong to Miguel.”

“What the… son! Stiles!”

Stiles was about to push out the doors and leave the hospital when another voice called his name. He turned his head and his gut twisted at the sight of Melissa McCall bearing down on him with worry in her eyes. Her arms wrapped around him and he heard his father sigh in frustration. It was so similar to how he’d huff when Stiles’ mother intervened on his behalf that it made Stiles ache and hug her tightly back.

“Stiles, what happened?” Melissa asked, stepping back, “Scott brought a stranger home and was crying off and on for a month and won’t even _hear_ your name, and then he said he helped you with something and now you’re friends again?”

Stiles shrugged, “He found someone else. It’s fine. I was mad for a bit but I got over it. I mean, I get it now, he found his _mate_ , that’s huge so… you know… I was wrong to be mad at him and now I’m not and I’m… you know…”

Stiles shrugged his shoulders again and Melissa stepped back, shaking her head slowly in bewilderment, “But you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” He tugged at his collar, “I’m better than okay.”

“Oh _Stiles_ ,” She pulled him back in for a hug, “Congratulations, sweetheart. So when can I meet him?”

She stepped back again with a huge smile on her face and Stiles shrugged again while his father folded his arms and gave him the ‘I told you so’ look.

“Well, uh…”

“I know!” Melissa beamed, “Let’s have him over for dinner! Scott was too upset to celebrate before, so we can all celebrate together! We’ll have a big meal at my place!”

“Um…”

“Stiles’ husband isn’t here,” John stated flatly, unable to stop himself from intervening, “He’s in _Mexico_.”

“What?” She asked, “Why aren’t you two bonding?”

“We are bonded.”

“Yes, but the _other_ type of bonding. The one where you snuggle and get disgustingly cute together for weeks on end until your parents puke and throw you out of the house and into your own apartment.”

“Oh, yeah, we’re good,” Stiles grinned broadly, “We’re totally good where we are. See, he gets tail and I get freedom. Perfect!”

Melissa’s smile slid partway off her face to be replaced with something shocked and confused.

“So you’re just… fine with this? What if you need something immediately? Or if you get pregnant. Who will be there to help you with your baby?”

“I’ll find an omega who wants to nanny,” Stiles shrugged, “We’re statistically paid less for childcare because it’s assumed it’s all we want to do regardless of education level. Speaking of which, I’m filling out my application for three different colleges tonight!”

“Th-three?” She asked in shock.

“Gotta run,” Stiles waved at her hand rushed out the door.

His father followed at a more sedate pace so Stiles reached the car before him and stood outside of it awkwardly because he had no way to enter since his father didn’t trust him with the keys to the squad car. For… well, for good reason if Stiles was being honest with himself.

“So, how’d that feel?” Stilinski asked, unlocking both their doors and climbing in.

“Fine,” Stiles sat down and buckled in with his usual sharp motions.

“Even though Melissa, who has been like family to us for years, is completely shocked by your decisions?”

“You mean the decisions that keep both of you in my life?” Stiles asked, “I think she’ll be fine with it unless you two wanted me gone?”

Stiles hadn’t meant to phrase that as a question, but his worry was palpable and John let out a heavy sigh.

“Son, I know we’ve been fighting a lot lately, but I would never want you gone from my life. I was glad you and Scott formed a pack and the assumption that you two would mate was mine, too. Melissa and I haven’t even figured out how to talk to each other after this, it was just always assumed you two were perfect for each other. When I found out Scott wasn’t your mate I was just… I was _terrified_. That’s why I arranged for you to be with Parrish. I knew he had similar ideals to mine and wouldn’t dream of keeping my son from me.”

Stiles sighed, staring down at his hands and then nodded, “Okay. Look, I know this is rough. I know you’re looking for a son-in-law and a father for my kids, but that’s not going to happen. That isn’t what I’m going to get. I’m going to get my freedom. I’m going to go to college, go to training, and get a badge. I’m not just going to be in your life, I’m going to be working beside you someday, but for now I need your support. You have every right to toss me out on my ear and leave me to pick up the pieces on my own, and if you do that whether it’s because you want to or to save face in the community I won’t hold it against you, but if you _do_ help me than I swear to you I will never make you ashamed of me for anything besides my mating. Not ever again.”

John took a deep breath, gripping the stearing wheel and staring ahead of himself. They didn’t do emotional well and they both knew it, so communicating together was difficult for them both. He and his father had always used his mother as a buffer between them, but she had passed away when he was young and it had devastated them both in different ways. She had been a beta so his father had little experience with omegas and that had made his son being one far more difficult. Stiles missed her more than ever, but was also grateful that she hadn’t lived to see her son in such a strange relationship.

“Your… your relationship is… people are going to… Stiles, _I’m_ not ashamed of you. I could never be. I just don’t want the world to punish you for being who you are. I want you to be happy and I want you to succeed. I’ve never liked how omegas are treated and… just… don’t lose yourself, son. You’re welcome in my home- your cubs too- for as long as you want or need. Our home. In _our_ home.”

“Thank you,” Stiles whispered softly.

John put the car in reverse, backed out of the parking space, and turned towards home while Stiles thought things through. He was hoping to have his cubs while in college so he could have them weaned in time for his physical training. If he were lucky he’d have a litter and be done with breeding completely. Once he secured the Hale line he could give Derek the peace he needed. Perhaps the cubs would give him a reason to leave the woods, but if not he’d at least have a piece of his gorgeous mate at home with him.


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles slept easier once he had the mark on his neck and a warmth in his heart. He missed Derek’s deep voice in his ear and the comfort of his strength at his side, but he knew he could survive alone. After all, he’d been fine _before_ Derek, so he’d be fine without him. He’d only even known him a bit half a year. Stiles knew that a good portion of his feelings were hormonally induced by the chemicals released during mating, but that didn’t make feeling them any easier. Not to mention the fact that Stiles was being persecuted by the entire fucking _town_.

Stiles couldn’t walk down the street without people crossing to the other side or giving him a vicious glare. They so far hadn’t gone so far as to do more than mutter at their children about what a bad example he was, but that was enough hurtful words for Stiles. He knew they were disgusted because an omega was living without their mate. He was barely a step above an omega having a child out of wedlock. There were rumors going around that he’d paid off an alpha to claim him and leave. Where he’d gotten the money for that when he and his dad could barely pay the utilities was unknown, but some were saying he’d stolen counterfeit bills from the evidence locker at his father’s work.

Stiles refused to give up or lower his expectations for his future. He studied hard and waited for his next heat to kick in so he would have an excuse to see Derek again. He’d skipped his quarterly, which happened sometimes to young omegas, but he’d gone to visit Derek anyway. He had moved his home and Stiles had to seek him out by scent. When he found him Derek was silent and angry. He’d gruffly asked Stiles why he didn’t smell like heat and when Stiles told him it looked as if he were skipping Derek had snarled at him to get lost and come back when he actually _needed_ Derek. Stiles had stomped off, hiding his crushed feelings, and asked Deaton about his heats instead. He was assured that a yearly heat was far more common for young omegas without regular contact with their mates. Usually that was due to a them being deployed in the military or a separation at the most, but in Stiles’ case Deaton warned him it might cause him far more distress over time. He cautioned Stiles not to go too long without contact with his mate, which resulted in eye rolling more than anything else.

Thankfully, when Stiles returned home from his finals for the quarterly heat-week break he found his temperature had raised in preparation for his mating time. Stiles did a little dance of celebration and hurried to shower and pack for a trip to see Derek. His father walked in on him packing up his bags.

“What’s all this?” John asked.

“I’m going to see D- er- Miguel!” Stiles chirped, “I’m going on heat this time. Proof is in the fever!”

“Or you’re sick.”

“Ooor I’m going on heat!” Stiles cheered, throwing his arms up, “Can I take some food with me? I don’t like his cooking.”

“Sure, but you won’t get it on the plane.”

“No worries,” Stiles shrugged, improvising, “I’ll mail it. Canned food will do.”

“You won’t get it for a while,” His dad pointed out.

“Just in time for me to be sick of his food,” Stiles pointed out, “But you’re right. Next time I’ll put it together and mail it out days in advance. He won’t mind it sitting around… I hope.”

Stiles threw his bag over his shoulder and headed out his door while his father gave him a worried look.

“He… he treats you right, doesn’t he?” John asked on the way down th stairs.

“Sure,” Stiles nodded, “I mean, he’s pretty cranky but he doesn’t hurt me or anything. He’s just a big ol’ sourwolf, that’s all.”

“Sourwolf, huh?” John asked, “And you’re safe with him?”

“Completely,” Stiles smiled softly, giving his dad a farewell wave over his shoulder, “He protected me from an alpha that didn’t want to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“A who that _what?!_ ” John spat out, a furious look twisting his face.

“Bye dad!” Stiles called, and practically skipped out to his car to toss himself in the jeep and drive out.

Stiles intentionally headed for the outskirts of town, pointing in the direction of the nearest airport. He drove until he reached a motel outside of his father’s jurisdiction where he checked in, spending what little hard-earned money he had on a week at the motel. He figured at worse if he couldn’t talk Derek into going there with him he could still keep his jeep there and shower before he returned home to his dad.

Stiles carefully checked the parking lot and surrounding road before getting back in his jeep. He didn’t trust his dad not to follow him or at least _have_ him followed. Stiles drove to the preserve and sought out his mate, following his scent back to Laura Hale’s long-term den. Her scent was faded to the point of being virtually nonexistent. If Stiles hadn’t been on the verge of heat he probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all. Instead he found himself anxiously entering the burrow while watching out for Laura even though he knew she wouldn’t be there.

“Stiles?” Derek was in his makeshift kitchen seasoning a hare with herbs.

“Um… hi,” Stiles smiled softly, “Uh… you said to come back when I need you so…”

Derek stood up, expression grim, “What do you need?”

“Er… well, you’ve probably lost track of time, but it’s heat week again and I’m going on this time.”

“Oh…” Derek gave him a surprised look and then stared down at his rabbit, “Hungry?”

“Sure, but once it’s done cooking let’s do something wild and crazy!” Stiles cheered.

Derek gave him a level look that told him he’d taken the wrong tactic.

“And by wild and crazy,” Stiles stammered, “I mean practical and enjoyable for both of us. I rented a week at a motel so we’ll have both comfort and a safe, private place to spend my heat! It’s reinforced, so no one will hear or smell us and then I can shower afterwards to get your scent off me.”

Derek turned back to his cooking without replying but Stiles could see by his furrowed eyebrows that he was thinking about it.

“Sure, we’ll talk after dinner. I still have time anyway. So, I’ve been masturbating since you woke up my sex drive.”

“Wh-what?” Derek gave him a shocked look.

“Yeah, it’s kinda awesome for when I miss you,” Stiles grinned, sitting down on a log beside him, “I used to sort of experiment for a bit, but it never really amounted to more than frustration and now I can come all on my own!”

“That’s… great,” Derek muttered.

“It’s not the same as with you, of course,” Stiles rambled, realizing Derek might be hurt by his self indulging, “It’s just that I spend all my time alone or in class and it’s sort of… well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. Isaac’s been by.”

“Wait, what? Really? That’s great!”

“I guess he thinks he owes me or something. For being pack for so long,” Derek muttered, poking at his dinner with a fork carved from wood.

“Hey Derek?” Stiles asked, “Where’s Laura’s pack?”

“What?” Derek asked, stiffening up in alarm.

“Well, she was an alpha longer than you, right? Alphas have an intense instinct to create pack. You being forbidden and banished are literally linked because you’d probably not be able to stop yourself from turning people or forming bonds with werewolves if you were around them. So where’s her pack?”

“She… she never made one,” Derek stated softly, “He brought Scott with him. That was the alpha you’d wanted, right?”

“Yes and no,” Stiles shrugged, “I was never into him physically. He’s been my best friend forever. We haven’t really… talked much lately.”

“Is that why you didn’t have him _actually_ witness for us?” Derek asked.

“Yeah, I figured he’d make it a thing so I just made him sign the papers and swear on my life that he’d never tell anyone he didn’t actually meet you and witness the signature.”

“Swear on what now?” Derek gave him a narrow glare.

“Yeeeaaah,” Stiles sighed, “I _might_ have told him how we met and that I’d nearly killed myself because of his ‘betrayal’.”

Derek snorted, “Nearly, huh? You couldn’t even make a noose.”

“I _practically_ died falling,” Stiles whined.

Derek shook his head in amusement and sat down beside Stiles on the log, leaning against the compact dirt walls and giving him a critical stare.

“How’s school?”

“Ugh, you sound like my dad,” Stiles muttered.

“I’m not old enough to be, and I _should_ be worried about my mate, shouldn’t I?”

Stiles’ heart fluttered and he smiled shyly and scuffed his foot on the pine needle covered floor.

“You sure like pine,” Stiles observed.

“It keeps bugs away and smells nice. _School?”_

“Yeah, it’s great. I’m doing well. I’m… um… two semesters in. I’ve got a 3.6 average which is pretty freaking awesome, you know?”

“Yeah? Criminology, right?”

“Oh, well not yet. I have prerequisites to take so I’m working on those first. I took all athletic stuff for my extras so I can build my muscles up. I have to be in excellent shape for the physical portion of the-“

Stiles paused and stared in surprise at Derek. He was gazing hungrily at Stiles’ chest, licking his lips and wolfing out a bit. Red eyes met Stiles’ own and he leered at him viciously.

“You’ve been working out, eh?”

“Well… uh… yeah?”

“Can I see?”

“Um… it’s just a _bit_ of definition…”

Stiles toyed with the hem of his shirt while Derek leaned forward, his teeth elongated as he practically drooled over Stiles.

“So let me see,” Derek growled, his voice gravel and lust.

“O-okay,” Stiles stood up, partially to make his few abs more obvious but also to put some distance between himself and his clearly sex-starved mate, “Just don’t expect too much, yeah?”

Stiles slowly lifted up his shirt and stared down at his own stomach, tightening it to make himself look more appealing.

“Well?” Stiles squeaked, “What do you think?”

“Nice two-pack,” Derek teased.

“Hey! It’s a start! Besides, omega biology means I’m predisposed to maintain weight rather than build muscle. I have to work _harder_ than alphas, ya big ball of muscle and fur,” Stiles snipped with a smile on his face.

“C’mere,” Derek motioned, and Stiles stepped forward timidly.

Derek looped a finger in Stiles’ jeans and pulled him close enough for the alpha to slide his tongue across Stiles’ belly, tickling and exciting him all at once.

“Oh, wow,” Stiles breathed, “I really, _really_ missed you.”

“Mm,” Derek agreed, leaning down to nuzzle and gnaw the edge of Stiles’ jeans, “Smell so good.”

“I washed up with scent-removing body wash so I wouldn’t smell like my dad. I was worried me having _two_ packs would upset your ‘wolf.”

“Probably,” Derek nodded, sitting back and smiling up at him as he finally relaxed a bit, “It did bother me last time.”

“Oh, was that why you were being a dick?”

“What?” Derek’s eyes narrowed and Stiles winced.

“It’s just… we could have still… like… done stuff or something. You know? Even if you don’t want sex outside of heat, we could still have hung out? I mean, I don’t have to talk even. If you want me to stop I can stop. You just have to tell me to shut up and I-“

“Stiles?”

“Hm?”

“Shut up,” Derek huffed.

Stiles pulled Derek down into his lap and caught his lips up in a kiss. For a moment it was all hunger and longing while Stiles wrapped himself around Derek like an octopus and Derek stroked every inch he could reach. Derek discovered a shockingly sensitive spot on Stiles’ lower back that made him want to moan and scream at the same time. Derek scritched his nails across it until Stiles was a shaking pile of goo in his arms. He wasn’t even aware he was moaning Derek’s name until his voice cracked and drew his attention to it.

“Oh my gods, I’m gonna fucking cream my pants, Derek, I swear to _gods_!” Stiles gasped out.

“Good. Do it.”

“K-kinda messy,” Stiles whined, but all thoughts vanished from his head when Derek palmed his crotch.

Stiles let out a broken cry and arched in his arms, shaking through his pleasure while gripping his mate’s shoulders tightly. When he finally came down from his high his heavy eyes fell to Derek’s to find him smiling softly up at him with such tenderness in his eyes that Stiles’ already shaky breath was quickly caught in his throat. Derek’s shields came up a moment later and his eyes turned guarded, his smile vanishing as he leaned back and raised an eyebrow to Stiles.

“Well?” Derek asked.

“Derek… I…” Stiles tried.

“C’mon, you’re not going to leave a guy wanting, are you?” Derek asked, smirking a bit and finding Stiles’ hand to guide it to Derek’s groin.

Stiles stared down at the hard outline in Derek’s pants and curiously explored it even as he pushed Derek’s expression from his mind. His mate was a wounded wolf. One approached them slowly and with many offerings of food and safety before attempting to touch. Only when Derek came to _him_ could Stiles help him heal.

“O-okay,” Stiles nodded, swallowing hard as he shifted down out of his lap and to his knees, “I think I wanna try this?”

Stiles smiled up at Derek from where he knelt and the alpha swallowed hard, staring down at him with wide, hungry eyes.

“Yeah,” Derek breathed.

“Okay,” Stiles grinned, reaching out to hurriedly strip him of his trousers.

Derek was aching beneath his clothes, his cock hard and the knot partially formed at the base. Stiles stroked along his shaft and palmed the head curiously even as his eyes devoured the bulbous mass above his thatch of dark hair. It looked so _angry_ and it wasn’t even fully formed yet. Stiles whined and leaned forward to nuzzle the hot orbs beneath while Derek groaned enthusiastically. Stiles worked his way up slowly, licking tentatively as he stared up at Derek to learn his reactions. Derek’s façade was quickly crumbling as he stared down at Stiles’ demonstrative mouth.

Stiles’ mouth reached the flared tip and he slurped along his salty head while making an appreciative noise. He popped off to grin up at Derek.

“Nummy,” He grinned.

“This is one of those times you shouldn’t talk,” Derek panted, pushing at the back of his head to encourage him to continue.

“Right,” Stiles agreed and wrapped his lips around the tip of his cock to suckle at him gently.

“Oh gods,” Derek shuddered, eyes falling shut, but they were open a moment later as he forced himself to watch, “More pressure. Suck and… fuck yes!”

Stiles was trying everything, slurping and suckling along the bottom as he worked his way up and down with an open mouth and wriggling tongue. He wasn’t sure how he’d actually _fellate_ him, but he was more than willing to run his mouth in a whole new way and suck on the tip of Derek’s throbbing cock. When Derek started tugging at his hair and trying to push him down Stiles finally got brave enough to let Derek’s cock more than a half-inch into his mouth. He choked, of course, but Derek pulled him back up instantly and swore before apologizing.

“I’s fine,” Stiles slurred, flexing his jaw, “Just gotta figure this out.”

“Use your hand,” Derek encouraged, “Wrap it around the base so you don’t go too far down, then even if I get too excited and- _fuck! Stiles!”_

Derek’s voice was desperate as Stiles tackled his problem with a whole new perspective and instruction. He tried different suckling levels before settling on more tongue motion since it made Derek moan out loud when he did that. When Derek’s knot swelled further in his hand he began to give it a bit of a squeeze with every downward motion of his mouth and Derek’s choked off cries began to reverberate around the room.

“Stiles! Fuck! Yes! More! Gonna!”

That was all the warning he got before Derek was howling out his release, his cock spurting hot ribbons of come into Stiles’ mouth, down his chin, and across his bare chest. Stiles had pulled off after the first pulse, but kept working Derek with both hands and his eyes tightly shut. When Derek’s trembling body finally went limp beneath his ministrations Stiles reached up to scrape his warm spunk from his face and grinned madly.

“That was so gross and awesome and I want to do it, like, every day.”

Derek gave Stiles a soft smile that he just barely managed to restrain when it tried to become big and endearing. Stiles grinned like a loon and Derek laughed lightly and shook his head.

“I won’t say no to that. Come here and let me clean you up.”

“With your tongue?” Stiles asked, waggling his eyebrow.

“Considering we’re in the middle of nowhere? Yes.”

“Cool. Also gross,” Stiles chuckled.

After their meal, which was scrumptious now that Derek had the ability to cook for him properly, Derek finally uttered that he’d be fine with the motel as long as he and Stiles entered late at night so he wouldn’t be seen by many. Stiles thought that was brilliant so they waited it out, but as the time wore on and his fever rose he had to admit that he might not make it that long. When he prompted Derek that they should start to head to the motel the man gave him an inscrutable look and then shook his head.

“If we leave now and you go on heat partway there it will make a huge scene when I try to get you in the lobby.”

“So no motel?” Stiles whined plaintively.

“We can go later,” Derek stated, “ _If_ you don’t go on heat first.”

“So we’re basically racing my heat here?!” Stiles fussed, “Come _on_ Derek! I want shower access during my heat!”

“I know that,” Derek grunted, giving the fire he was poking an angry glare. Stiles had the distinct impression he was fighting the urge to grind his teeth.

“We could always fuck in my jeep,” Stiles grinned, “That’s like a milestone for some couples, you know. Public sex!”

“Which could get me _arrested_ ,” Derek huffed, “I know I’m not the love of your life, Stiles, but you can at _least_ give one single fuck about my freedom!”

“I.. wait… no… that’s…” Stiles fumbled, and then winced as a cramp made him nearly double up in agony.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked in alarm, reaching out to put a hand on Stiles’ shoulder.

“I’m good. I’m fine. This happens for heats. Like, regular heats,” Stiles gasped.

The omega gave into the urge to double over and groaned as he studied his shoes. Derek rubbed at his back, reeking of anxiety as Stiles took slow, shallow breaths to wait out the pain passing. Derek growled in frustration and stood up, stomping across the floor and shoving his feet into some dusty combat boots.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“Go?” Stiles gasped, “I’m not on heat yet.”

“I meant to the motel,” Derek stated firmly.

“You sure?” Stiles whined through the pain.

“I want you comfortable,” Derek stated flatly.

“Awww, you do care!” Stiles whined through the pain.

Derek helped Stiles stand and led him slowly out of his den. He scooped him up and carried him on swift feet back the way Stiles had come, sniffing the air so he didn’t have to ask Stiles where to go while he moaned softly in pain. When he got to the jeep he tucked Stiles into the passenger seat and asked where the hotel was. Stiles tiredly gave him directions and Derek drove as carefully as he could, sweating nervously every time they passed a police car. They got to the motel and Derek parked outside of their room and carried Stiles in. He placed him down on the bed and sighed, looking around the room.

“Heat seals on the doors and windows… do you have food and drink here?”

Stiles groaned, “I have a cooler in my car. Why does it hurt so much?”

Derek shrugged, “I dunno. The first one is supposedly the easiest but I haven’t known a lot of omegas.”

“This _sucks_ ,” Stiles whined, “I should have talked to some people about this. I googled stuff, but it _never_ said it would hurt this much. Do you think it’s something serious? What if my appendix is about to explode?”

Derek sighed and walked over, leaning forward to sniff at Stiles abdomen, “You smell like sex, not sickness. Do you know how rare appendicitis is?”

“No?” Stiles asked.

“Idiot,” Derek huffed, “I’ll be right back with the cooler.”

Stiles rolled around in misery on the bed while Derek stepped out, and then started shifting the blankets while grumbling at the pain twisting his guts. Derek returned and began handing him pillows from the closet.

“They’re prepared, at least.”

“These pillows suck,” Stiles replied.

“They don’t want them ruined so they’re wrapped in plastic beneath the covers.”

“You need a house,” Stiles told Derek.

“I had a house,” Derek stated flatly, “The county took it.”

“The county sucks.”

“Yes. Yes they do,” Derek agreed.

Stiles flopped down in the middle of his nest and sighed, “This sucks.”

“Yes it does.”

“Do you hate my heats?”

“No.”

“I mean, I know you miss touching people, and being separate from a pack is torture to an werewolf let alone an alpha, but last time you were so relieved when it finally stopped…”

“Because my dick was getting chaffed, Stiles,” Derek huffed, “I hope you brought lube this time?”

“Yeah, in my bag.”

Derek fetched it and dumped the contents onto a chair. It was mostly lube and a few protein bars along with comfortable clothes for when Stiles’ heat ended. Derek sorted them into strategic locations and then began to undress.

“Nice. Business time,” Stiles grinned, “Missed that shapely ass of yours.”

Derek smiled softly over his shoulder at Stiles, flexing his glutes to make the omega drool and palm his groin. Stiles lay still as Derek approached, swallowing hard as he leaned over him.

“You going to undress?” Derek asked, breaking what could have been a romantic moment.

Stiles sighed and rolled his eyes, “I guess.”

Stiles wriggled out of his clothes and squirmed onto his belly, stretching and sighing happily. He knew Derek liked to take him from behind the most, which left him feeling a bit… self-conscious. Until he looked back and saw the hungry look on Derek’s face as he stared over his body. Stiles squirmed and smiled hopefully, knowing Derek was touch starved and eager to spend days ravaging him. Stiles whined and arched his back, offering himself up to Derek for his pleasure… and to be bred. Definitely to be filled full of his cubs. Stiles wanted a pair of hazel-green eyes to be staring up at him from a pudgy pink face more than anything else in the world.

“I’m thinking two cubs. Maybe three. Then I’ll have to go on suppressants because I need to be able to work, but I’ll still be yours to touch. We need to find a way for you to contact me when you want sex since my heats will be only a few hours long. I don’t want you gypped.”

“Sex?” Derek asked, eyes glazed as he crawled up the bed towards Stiles with single-mindedness, “You’d let me just… have you? Outside of heat?”

“Well, yeah,” Stiles snorted, “You’re my mate.”

“Mine,” Derek breathed, straddling Stiles’ thighs and leaning over him to mouth at their mating mark.

“Yeah,” Stiles arched, rubbing his ass against Derek’s throbbing erection.

“My mate,” Derek growled, “You walked in smelling like other alphas months ago. I was so _angry_.”

“My dad,” Stiles groaned, “He’s trying to keep his scent on me since yours isn’t around. Scott tried it too, but I wouldn’t let him.”

Derek growled, “He has _Isaac_. He can’t have you!”

Derek’s suckling turned to biting and Stiles hissed as the sharpness of his teeth went straight to the tight clench in his abdomen. He felt the tenseness spread and a cramp moved down to his entrance.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Stiles whined, “Derek, it _hurts!”_

Derek moved down his body and spread his cheeks as if he _knew_ where Stiles’ pain was located. Perhaps he did because he buried his face there, stubble scratching his damp cheeks, and began to lap at the slick starting to drip from his womb. Derek let out a growly moan that had Stiles’ toes curling as he chased the taste of his lube into his body.

“Oh my gods!” Stiles cried out, squirming beneath him to try and spread his legs faster. His ankles were knocking against Derek’s knees, “Dude, _move!”_

“Don’t call me dude,” Derek grumbled, but shifted to let Stiles spread his legs wide for Derek’s eager ministrations.

Derek worked him open and his slick was soon flowing like a river, dripping down Derek’s chin as he moaned and chuffed against him. Derek didn’t pry himself away until Stiles started to whine _empty_ over and again. Derek climbed his mate eagerly and pressed inside, gasping in relief at the feel of his lover finally wrapped around him again. Hot, wet, tightness surrounded his dick and drove him completely insane. Derek was quickly pistoning in and out of Stiles’ body to the beat of their matching heartbeats.

“You feel that?” Derek gasped, hand moving over Stiles’ chest, “We’re in sync.”

Stiles shifted so he could lay one hand over Derek’s. For a moment Derek’s heart fluttered out of rhythm with Stiles’ at the flood of love from such a sweet, simple gesture. Then Stiles pushed his hand down towards his shaft and Derek gave a grunt of amusement and assent. He took his frisky beloved in hand and Stiles’ cries of completion were almost as satisfying as the rush of pleasure that followed as his knot swelled and his seed pulsed forth.

Almost.


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles woke Derek gently after giving him the sponge bath his so _sorely_ needed. His mate’s eyes fluttered open and he groaned deeply.

“Hey,” Stiles spoke softly, “Just wanted to say goodbye this time. I thought I should do it before I showered seeing as how I can’t be touched afterwards.”

“G’bye?” Derek asked tiredly.

“Well, more like… till next time,” Stiles smiled softly, “We didn’t figure out a way for me to get in contact with you?”

“Mph,” Derek grunted, “I can howl. We’re mates now.”

“Oh, right!” Stiles grinned, “I’ll be able to hear you differently now. Like, it will have command in it.”

“Mhm,” Derek nodded, then waved weakly at Stiles, “Night.”

“Night, sourwolf,” Stiles chuckled lightly. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Derek’s nose and then stood up and headed for the shower.

Stiles hated washing the musky-sweet scent of his mate off of himself, but he knew it was a necessity. He washed his clothes in the laundry room first, including his bags, while wearing Derek’s clothes just to enjoy his scent longer. The remaining food he left behind for Derek. Once that was done washing his things he showered himself off, scrubbing until his skin was raw. He donned his clean clothes and walked out the door after giving the sleeping alpha on the bed a sad glance.

“So long… mate.”


	6. Chapter 6

It was torture. Not a night went by when Derek didn’t dream about Stiles. In some he was begging for Derek’s cock, but in most he was just soft and sweet with a roundness to his belly that made Derek’s wolf howl in pride as well as whine in distress at their separation. He’d wake up feeling as if bugs were crawling beneath his skin. He’d roll around in his pine-scented bedding and try to get the itch to hold his mate to stop, but it was driving him _mad._ It had only been two weeks since Stiles had sent word through Isaac that he was pregnant and he was craving Stiles as if he were a drug. It was maddening, but Stiles feared being around Derek unnecessarilya too often. As it was, this meant he wouldn’t see Stiles for over a year, nine more months for the pregnancy and then some time to bond with his child(ren).

Derek thought about howling for him, but if Stiles’ father found out ‘Miguel’ was nearby he’d interfere in their already awkward arrangement. He’d have to wait for Stiles to show up on his own, probably once his babies were old enough to walk. Derek wasn’t at all sure he could manage to wait, but he hadn’t realized how bad it was until he woke up panting over Stiles’ shocked form one night.

“That’s it. Come back to me, sourwolf. It’s okay,” Stiles soothed, “C’mon, Derek.”

“Stiles?” Derek asked, eyes widening in shock.

Derek’s eyes widened in shock. Stiles’ wrists were pinned beneath his hand, their groins were pressed together but only Derek was hard. Stiles stank of fear and his eyes were so wide they were tearing up. He was trembling and stammering beneath Derek’s weight.

“D-Derek?” Stiles squeaked, a look of relief crossing his face. He sagged beneath Derek and his eyes fluttered shut, “Oh, thank gods.”

“Stiles what… where am I?” Derek pushed himself up, looking around the room that reeked of his mate. It was dizzying being surrounded by his scent and Derek was suddenly _sure_ that no other alpha had been allowed in here since their bonding, “Your room? But how? Did… Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Stiles laughed awkwardly as he sat up, rubbing at his wrists, “Just scared me half to death by being all growly and crazy. You okay?”

Derek wanted to say he was. He wanted to posture and brush it off and pretend he was messing with Stiles. Words failed him. He shook his head mutely, staring at him with wide eyes, and Stiles reached out and pulled him towards himself.

“C’mere, my husband,” Stiles soothed, fingers running through his hair as he pulled Derek down into the warmth of his long limbs and his sweet scent, “I’ve got you.”

Derek whined low in his throat and buried his face against Stiles shoulder and neck. He let his hair tickle his temple as he nuzzled against him while wrapping his arms tightly around Stiles. The omega arched his back to give him space and let Derek manipulate him until they were wrapped tightly around each other. They lay on their sides, clinging tightly while Derek breathed him in and let the comfort of _pack_ roll through him. He slept for the first time in days, deep and heavy until he awoke with achy limbs and burning eyes. He pulled away, refusing to meet Stiles’ eyes or answer his softly whispered questions. He slipped out the window and snuck through town until he made it back to the safety of his forest where he could shake in horror at almost getting himself caught by prancing around Beacon Hills while half-dressed and stinking of his mate.

XXX

“Stiles, we know he was here,” John Stilinski spoke softly, “And it’s fine.”

“Fine?” Stiles asked, “That’s why you’re holding an intervention for me?”

Stiles gestured to the group of his friends and family gathered around him. Scott was sitting on the couch by his mother with Isaac on the floor between his knees. The sherriff was beside Melissa and to his left was his new friend Kira, a recently mated omega who Stiles had clicked with at school. She’d finally found her mate after nine months of searching in one beta Malia Tate. Malia was brutally honest and abrupt, clearly compensating for the fact she’d mated an omega rather than another beta. She was determined to get in the good graces of an alpha and inherit power so Kira would have a better, longer life. For now they were using medical aids, which was what Stiles and she had bonded over. Stiles was surprised that they had so many options out there for an omega to mate with a beta since he’d always been raised to believe a beta/omega pairing was a step up from a death sentence. Kira told him that a lot of that was media presentation, and that society taught omegas they _needed_ alphas far more than they did to soothe alpha egos. She had a set of toys that she had blushed over while showing them to Stiles.

“It’s not an intervention,” Scott replied.

“It’s kind of an intervention,” Melissa stated.

“We can _smell_ him all over your room,” Isaac said softly, “Whoever he is, he’s been here.”

“So he’s _not_ in Mexico,” John stated firmly, “And frankly, you’re not holding that ruse up very well anyway. No way you got back so quickly from your heat.”

Stiles sat back on the chair he’d been given as a roost and folded his arms. Isaac wasn’t talking. He hadn’t given Derek up. He was still loyal to his former alpha, and Stiles… Stiles loved his current alpha and wanted him safe even if it meant away from him.

“Stiles,” Scott pleaded, “This is basically the _worst_ time for you to stop talking.”

“It’s the best,” Stiles shrugged, “I’m not giving up my alpha.”

John growled low in his throat and shot to his feet, _“I’m_ still your alpha, Stiles! He’s not claiming you properly!”

Stiles tilted his head to show off his mark and John scoffed in disgust, “He’s not _here_ Stiles!”

“He doesn’t have to be,” Stiles shrugged, as he touched his chest lightly over his heart, “He’s here and this is the only place I need him to be.”

“He’s not taking responsibility!” John argued.

“He doesn’t have to,” Stiles shrugged, “I’m responsible for myself.”

“Yeah?” John asked, “And your cubs? Stiles, they’ll be _mocked_.”

Stiles nodded, “I know. It hurts, but there’s nothing I can do about it. He won’t be an active part of my life. He can’t.”

“ _Why_?” John asked angrily.

Stiles decided a partial admission might get them off his back, “He’s a criminal, dad. You’d have to lock him up.”

John stilled in surprise, “Then nothing would change. He’d supply your heats during conjugal visits.”

“And _die_ in prison,” Stiles replied passionately, “He won’t survive like that. He’s… dad, he’s important to me. He’s hurting no one where he is, and he’s giving me _everything_.”

“If he’s a criminal-“

“Of a long-passed crime,” Stiles replied, “He paid his price, dad. Let him _be.”_

“Who the hell _is_ he?” Melissa huffed, “Stiles, this isn’t _healthy_!”

“It isn’t _common_ ,” Stiles insisted, “It’s hurting no one.”

“Except you,” Scott replied softly, eyes filled with worry for his best friend, “It’s hurting _you_. I can see how much you miss him. You stare off into space sometimes and just go completely still. I’ve never seen you do that, dude. Not even in your sleep.”

Stiles shrugged slightly, “He’s hurting, too. That’s why he showed up here. He was sleepwalking or something.”

“Mates aren’t meant to be apart for extended periods of time,” The sheriff insisted, “That’s why alphas and omegas in the armed forces get three month leave periods in addition to their heat breaks once a year while their mates are on suppressants.”

“I haven’t been away from him for nine months,” Stiles rolled his eyes.

“No,” John agreed, “But you two never took time to bond _emotionally_ after you bonded physically. Stiles, there’s a _reason_ people have honeymoons!”

“So, what,” Stiles shrugged, “I should go out and get my cuddle on? He’s not exactly that sort of guy.”

“But he is!” Isaac insisted, “He’s-“

That stopped everyone in their tracks. Eyes flew to Isaac who paled in horror at his mistake. Everyone knew he was Derek’s former beta. Where he’d been and when he’d become an omega he’d kept to himself, but if he was talking about an alpha chances are it was _Derek Hale_.

“Hale?” The Sheriff asked, “Your mate is _Hale_? Son, he’s dangerous!”

Stiles and Isaac both leaped to their feet, spitting mad to defend Derek, but it was as John was calming them down that Isaac’s voice rose for one last statement.

“It’s _Laura_ who’s dangerous!” Isaac whined.

“What?” Stiles asked, eyes narrowing as his head spun towards Isaac, “What did she do to you?”

“What?” Isaac staggered, physically terrified as he backed up and reached for Scott.

Scott stood up and wrapped his arms around Isaac from behind. The curly haired omega turned and buried his face in Scott’s shoulder.

“He won’t tell me,” Scott said softly, “He wakes up crying sometimes and mutters her name. I swear if I ever got my hands on her…”

“I bet I know what she did,” Stiles hissed, “I bet she ordered him to lie still while she all but _violated him_.”

Isaac sobbed into Scott’s shoulder.

“Did Derek know?” Stiles asked, “Because he didn’t when I told him what she did to me.”

“ _Laura_ Hale?!” John Stilinski snarled, “Violated you?! Did _she_ take your virginity? Is that why Derek’s this… this… _unwilling_ mate? Is that why he won’t do more than breed you? Guilt over Laura?”

“No, no,” Stiles waved a hand, “She did this freaky tentacle thing but didn’t trigger my heat. She, like, knew how to avoid it. It was creepy and gross, but she didn’t like… drop my balls, right? So I took off to get away from her and ran into Derek who was giving me looks. I mentioned what Laura did and he offered to protect me. I agreed because I didn’t want to hang out in the woods alone for a week and he found us another burrow.”

“Right, but then who took your…” John gestured towards his crotch and made an uncomfortable face.

“Derek did,” Stiles admitted, “I asked him to. He didn’t mark me then because I’d told him I would look for someone else, but I was actually planning on just killing myself when I got home.”

Scott whined in the back of his throat and John gave him a pained look.

“But that’s over, right?” John asked.

Stiles nodded, “I probably could have been content with Parrish, but I wanted _Derek_. He was my mate. I could smell it on him. I don’t know why he didn’t want me then, but when I headed back to tell him that he wasn’t going to be a dad I tried one last time and he agreed to claim me.”

“So it was reluctant,” Stilinski stated.

“Yes,” Stiles replied right as Isaac insisted a soft ‘no’ into Scott’s shoulder, “Uh, I think I know what happened, dude.”

“Not from _him_ ,” Isaac peaked out from the safety of Scott’s shoulder, “He never stops talking about you. I loves you.”

“He barely knows me,” Stiles argued weakly.

“Dude, you never shut up. I knew you after, like, five minutes,” Isaac snorted, turning around fully while Scott held him gently. His mate’s eyes were tortured from what he’d just learned but he didn’t seem to know how to handle it, “He even asked me to bring him some of the music you like over on a CD so he could listen to it. It took me like an hour to explain mp3’s to him. He was annoyed that the batteries don’t last as long.”

Stiles frowned down at the floor, “He didn’t want to be my mate until I came out and told him I _needed_ him and didn’t want to settle for anyone else.”

“He’s got issues,” Isaac shrugged, “He could have mated me at any time and didn’t. He’d have been fine with a beta and I’d have been happy with him.”

“But… but you’re happy with me… right?” Scott tried weakly.

“Of course,” Isaac turned and pressed their lips together, “I’m _ecstatic_ with you. My point was that he chose to mope and be alone instead. He knew I wanted to be mated, and in the end I turned omega to get that. I don’t think he was waiting for that to happen either, because when I did he just stepped aside so I could leave and go look for _you._ He seemed happy for me.”

Stiles sat back down, rubbing at his face, “Dad, he’s been told he can’t form a pack. He’s banished.”

“This changes things,” Stilinski stated, “They could re-do his psych eval. The fact his sister’s a rapist might be taken into account. He’s not safe with her guiding him as a new alpha, clearly.”

Stiles mused for a moment, tapping one foot, “They never did find out who was guiding the kanima… did they?”

“Well, no but…” Stilinski paused, “You think that _Laura_ was the kanima’s master?!”

“They never found them,” Stiles pointed out, panic starting to clench his chest, “The kanima is still in prison until they can find the master or turn it into a proper wolf. Remember the papers? They were all saying that _Derek_ must have been the master since the kanima stopped acting up in prison after he was banished, but _Laura went with him!”_

Stiles was at the door pulling it open before he realized what he was doing, only his father stopped him from rushing out into the night. He grabbed his arm and tugged him around to face him.

“Stiles, where are you going?”

“Derek’s out there!” Stiles choked out, tears forming as his fears rushed to the surface with his words, “He’s out there _alone_ with her!”

“She could be an omega by now-“ John tried, but Stiles cut him off.

“What does that matter?” Stiles raged, “Omegas can still kill and worse!”

Stiles pulled free and bolted, his father shouting at him to return, but his father’s alpha voice didn’t hold sway over him. Not anymore. Only Derek could order Stiles around, and right now the omega was petrified at the idea of losing his alpha. Stiles climbed into his jeep and started her up, pulling out at top speed and fleeing towards the woods and his husband.

Stiles’ heart was hammering in his ears as he burst through the clearing to Derek’s little burrow. Derek was outside collecting firewood, but when he saw Stiles he dropped it and ran for him, scooping him up and bolting for his home with Stiles in his arms. Stiles clung to him, burying his face in Derek’s collar and breathing in his scent.

“Who’s after you? _What happened_?” Derek snarled, heart pounding a sharp staccato as he clutched Stiles against him.

“We think Laura’s the kanima’s master,” Stiles panted, still out of breath from his run, “Derek, we have to leave _now!_ We have to go to the police station and turn her in and- _”_

“Oh,” Derek went very still and Stiles lifted his head to look up at him.

“What do you mean _oh_?”

“I… I guess…” Derek shrugged, “She’s gone.”

“What?”

“She’s gone, Stiles. She vanished after the last mating run. I assumed she found a mate. I mean, that’s why I moved back-”

“So you _don’t know where she is?”_

“She wasn’t exactly nice to me, Stiles, and she assaulted you! I was glad she was gone. I wasn’t going to go after her,” Derek scowled, his eyebrows turning defensive.

“Okay. Okay, we can still work with this. My dad says your circumstances have changed and you should go back into court and-“

“Your dad _knows?_ ” Stiles growled, setting Stiles down on the couch in a way that said he’d rather have dropped him straight to the floor.

“Well you did show up in my bedroom and rub yourself all over me and my bed, dude. It wasn’t long before he put two and two together. The point is, he says that you can file to have your banishment revoked. You’ve got a mate and your guide as an alpha was unhealthy. You can take a psych eval. You’d have to go to Eichen House for a bit, but you could have a new start at life!”

“Stiles,” Derek sighed, sitting down on his log, “You know how I feel about this. I’m a disaster. Everything around me goes wrong.”

“Because of _her_!”

“You don’t even know that. It’s a theory, Stiles.”

“But we could be _proper mates_!” Stiles whined, “Derek, you don’t _have_ to keep living out here!”

“I want to, Stiles. Remember? The whole hermit thing?” Derek pointed out.

“A hermit who doesn’t _actually_ want to be alone!” Stiles argued, “You practically clung to Isaac while he was here. He told me so!”

“Stiles,” Derek groaned, “This wasn’t part of our deal!”

Stiles’ eyes narrowed, “I almost forgot. You know that shit your sister tried with me?”

Derek’s eyes flashed red in outrage, “How could I forget?”

“She did that to Isaac, too. And probably lots of other omegas. She’s a _rapist_ , Derek. So who knows what else she might have done?”

Derek growled and stood up, pacing the floor as rage simmered beneath the surface, “Stiles, she’s still my _sister_.”

“Your deranged sister, Derek,” Stiles replied softly, “Who verbally, emotionally, and mentally abused you. I’m sorry, but she’s dangerous and you know it.”

Derek sat down and rubbed at his head, “She’s… she’s the only family I have left. I always let her down.”

Stiles stood up and walked over to Derek, running his hands through his thick locks, “Derek, you’re wrong on both counts. Laura was abusing the shit out of you, convincing you that you were a failure when really you were _her_ victim. Who knows what other crimes she’s committed? What else she’s done to fuck up your life? And this right here?” Stiles pulled Derek’s hand to his abdomen, “This is your family.”

Derek tensed, hand pressed to Stiles’ flat belly. Stiles knew he could smell the pregnancy by now. Stiles would smell sweeter than usual and Derek would know that his scent was wrapped up with his own. Derek groaned and leaned forward, pulling Stiles closer by his hips and pressing his face to his abdomen.

“Stay down there like that and you’ll get quite the surprise,” Stiles chuckled.

Derek sighed and sat back, staring up at Stiles with an unreadable look on his face. Then he shook his head and stood up, slowly pushing Stiles back until he was standing at arms length with Derek gripping his small shoulders.

“No.”

“No?” Stiles asked in shock.

“No, Stiles. I’m not doing this. You’re grasping at straws, trying to find any way to get your mate to go with you, but that’s not going to happen.”

“There’s _loads_ of evidence!”

“Then take it to a court, get my name exhonerated, and I’ll go home with you.”

Stiles opened his mouth to declare he would, but his knowledge of the justice system stopped him in his tracks. There _wasn’t_ enough evidence. Probably not even enough to put a warrant out for Laura’s arrest, though perhaps they could do something about the sexual assaults on Stiles and Isaac that would be a light sentence that might not even stick considering Stiles’ shaky mating situation. If Derek had no further proof, which he was implying he didn’t, than Stiles had less than nothing.

“I can’t,” Stiles realized, “It’s all circumstantial and based on two omegas accusations, one of which has already been accused of being mentally unstable and the other who has an absent mate. We’d be mocked, drug through the mud, and spat back out again. She’d get away with everything.”

“I’ll see you after your pups are born,” Derek stated, turning back towards his door, “I have gardens to plant-“

“That’s it?” Stiles asked, voice cracking as he fought down tears of frustration.

“Unless you needed something?” Derek asked, pausing with his back to Stiles.

_I need my mate._

“No,” Stiles huffed, “Nothing, Derek.”

“Then I’ll see you when the pups are born.”

XXX

Stiles trudged back out to his jeep, climbed inside, fought back the tears, punched the stearing wheel three times, and then lost his battle to broken, angry sobs. He’s halfway home when he makes a decision. Stiles is tired. He’s tired of worrying about Derek and he’s tired of not having a future set for himself. He had been attending a local college to stay near Derek but he was done with all that. He didn’t _technically_ need a college degree to take the Law Enforcement Examination- not in Beacon Hills- but it was something he’d always wanted. Now a few new thoughts were rolling around in his head. He’d always been interested in technical work and since he wanted a degree anyway, and needed some space, he was now considering picking a major.

Far south of Beacon Hills, but not so far that it was impossible to drive home, was Mountain View, California; the home of Google where Danny was in the midst of his internship. Getting in had been harrowing and apparently hilarious, and Stiles had been just a tiny bit jealous of the intelligent young man. Now Stiles was thinking it through. If he went there and got the internship he’d have something to focus on besides his absent mate. He’d have a career mapped out for _after_ the police work as well, just in case he didn’t or couldn’t take it to retirement. He’d also have achieved something completely independent of his father’s support, Derek’s sperm, or society’s conventions.

He got home, walked past everyone without saying a word, and headed upstairs to start on his application.


	7. Chapter 7

Stiles wasn’t dealing well with being away from home. He’d always had an alpha over his shoulder, making sure he was okay, and while he’d believed in independence it felt odd to actually _have_ it. He was constantly texting his dad and Scott, more to sooth himself than them, and was a bit embarrassed about that. Scott was enthusiastic and excited for him. His father was grudgingly accepting it and kept reminding him he could always come home. He’d decided it was time to omega up and had joined a forum for omegas away from their alphas for whatever reason. It was mostly full of army spouses and college students like himself who were getting a bit of unwanted space during their education. Stiles knew a thing or two about unwanted space from his Alpha so he was _all_ up in that forum venting about how he didn’t get enough attention and his alpha was more focused on work than his needs. He’d told them Derek was a farmer. It was as close to the truth as he could get without six chapters of backstory.

His internship was in a huge building full of ridiculous color schemes that made his growing depression far worse. He hated the building and everyone in it, but he wasn’t looking to make friends. He was looking for a successful career that would let him raise his kids _alone_ while also giving him the distraction he needed. Now that his hopes of having Derek in his life full time had been fully and completely dashed- including his apparently childish fantasy of a far-away love he snuck off to visit- Stiles was throwing himself into life full tilt. He couldn’t have a dangerous career because Derek wouldn’t be taking the kids if something awful happened to him. He also wouldn’t be sneaking off to see him outside of heat since Derek had made it _painfully_ clear that he wanted nothing more from Stiles. He’d perhaps weakened once, but when given the opportunity to be in Stiles’ life he’d _wimped out_. Stiles was done waiting.

Which, of course, was the moment he got a text from his father informing him that some deputies had gone out to the woods to collect Derek and place him in Eichen house for reevaluation in light of the accusations made against Laura… who they still couldn’t find or build a case against. His father thought he was doing Stiles a favor by having Derek evaluated for signs of abuse and attempting to re-train him as an alpha so his banishment could be revoked. Stiles stared at the text and then dragged himself back to the room he was in. He swallowed down the swell of anxiety and refocused. Mr. Chetty, the man in charge of the internship program, was explaining they’d have seminars to attend and that they’d been e-mailed to them. Stiles checked his e-mail and hurried to the first one without making eye contact with his excitable peers. He was in this to win, not make friends. Not this time. Not after years of trying to impress highschool assholes only to realize too late that no one was going to tolerate him. Not even his fucking mate.

An alpha was present. An older man with a beta beside him. The darker haired one was the alpha and he leaned over during the discussion about protocol in the workplace and whispered to Stiles that he could get him ‘something cold to drink’. The last thing Stiles needed was a damn pick up line.

“Okay. Thank you. Just stop talking to me,” Stiles whispered back.

“I’m your Bill Holden in _Stalag 17_.”

“I don’t- I really don’t get that reference,” Stiles glanced at him, but the alpha was a bit behind him. Instead he got a look at the blonde beta beside him who was smirking at his antics.

“Google it,” He replied suggestively.

“Got it,” Stiles shook his head in disgust.

The blonde spouted off about a sexy full-time worker and Stiles rolled his eyes. He rolled them even harder at the discussions of food. Luckily Mr. Chetty shut him down before the urge to rage at them sarcastically overwhelmed him.

Sadly the bastards were persistent and while Stiles was wondering around hating everyone he ended up teamed up with them. Stiles was feeling nauseated but he followed the group into an office and sat himself down to listen to the absolutely _annoying_ team manager.

“Uh, yeah, is Lyle always going to be referring to himself in the third person? Because if he is I might want to punch Lyle in the face,” Stiles growled out while in the midst of googling some questions about early pregnancy symptoms.

The man droned on for a bit more and then finally started speaking normally. The group was talking introductions and one of them brought up breastfeeding, and _finally_ something Stiles had an actual focus on, so he hit _that_ google up as well in time to chime in with some actual facts from the Journal of the American Medical of Association.

The two guys, who seemed to think of themselves as their leaders despite their clear lack of knowledge on _everything_ except perhaps Viagra, were irritating Stiles’ already growing headache. He introduced himself and promptly let his mouth get away from him when hit-on-erebody alpha asked where the hostility was coming from.

“Where do you _think_ it’s coming from, you big tree?” Stiles snarled, sitting forward and finally lowering his phone, “Two-fifths of our team are two old guys who don’t know shit!”

That, sadly, prompted the painfully horny omega, who informed them she was in an open relationship, to start going on about fanfiction and how freaky she liked to get. Thankfully she ended it by putting them in their place… or not, since they happily absorbed her blatant shut-down and kept rolling with the punches. At least he could admire their tenacity.

Tenacity that he had to redirect when they started making an absolute _scene_ while they were trying to find a bug in code. Stiles sent them on a wild goose chase for Professor Xavior because he was a dark and stormy rage machine with no actual morals left to his name. That being stated, he was exchanging snide comments with Neha Patel over dick size, which of course _she started_ by mentioning pregnancy when she _had_ to be able to smell that he was pregnant. Thankfully the team was with him on making sure the Moron Twins stayed as far away as possible. Will and Nick sat down with a grunge-nerd while Stiles continued working and eating… only to overhear the British twat informing everyone that _they’d_ won the bug challenge. Stiles swallowed down his nausea and drank more milk so he could keep himself fit.

He was tired. He was angry. He was surrounded by idiots.

Who were playing quidditch, because while Stiles would normally be ALL about that, he was fucking pregnant and miserable. He’d started having hot flashes and they wanted him to put a broom between his legs and run around a field in the sun. He was certain that Graham was also pregnant, but he was apparently impervious (get it?) to all pregnancy symptoms except being sexier via pheromones. Everyone was drooling over him and Stiles wanted to know _why_ , but his google search for when his symptoms would end and when his perks would start was interrupted by a ball pegging him in the head… from his own fucking team mate.

“Our team is a joke,” Stiles growled out, pulling off his hat as the hotflashes hit again.

They went into a long dissertation on Flashdance while Stiles stood there, disgusted and frustrated, and then… fucking emotional. They were babbling like morons, but damn it they were making sense. They weren’t working as a team and Stiles missed pack painfully. He found himself nodding along and when the beta was pressed to his side during the huddle he couldn’t help but steal a sniff of him. The blonde couldn’t possibly have the life-altering scent that Derek had, but he smelled… good. Comforting. Warm. His scent also had a shocking result. In one breath the nausea subsided, the heat suffusing his face washed down, and he felt… _normal_ again.

They lost the game, but it was because Graham cheated. Nick and Billy were quick to remind them of that and encourage them further and Stiles was reluctant to admit that he was being drawn in. Billy was giving him a parental vibe now that he’d stopped trying to make a fucking pass at Stiles, and Nick was offering up olive branches as he teased and cajoled Stiles out from behind his phone. He couldn’t get his name right, though. He was apparently convinced it was Stuart. Stiles stopped him from calling him Stewie, but only because he hated that smart-assed little toddler bent on world domination. If anyone was going to rule the world, it would be Lydia Martin.

Unfortunately, while they were great at bringing the team together they were _terrible_ at understanding anything computer related. Hell, anything _current_ was far from their comprehension. Billy’s rant on instagram and Nick’s blind support were very revealing. Graham interrupted a frankly embarrassing interjection about instagram to announce his app was already created.

Which brought the whole group down as they tried to explain to Billy and Nick that their world had _changed_ , but the guys dragged them out to… a club.

A club full of alphas, betas, and omegas where Stiles was soon dragged out of his phone to stare in shock at the naked men and women around him. He was only omega and the pheromones were high. Derek didn’t want him but these creatures were just… _touching_ everything. The alpha dragging him to their table sucked on his finger and left him saturating his underwear in a second. He might not be compelled to obey alphas anymore, but that didn’t mean he didn’t _want_ and _need._ Alcohol was off the table, and certainly sex was, but looking and a lap dance? _Fuck yes_.

Stiles had led a sheltered life. He’d been allowed to experiment with Scott, but he’d never seen bare breasts besides Laura’s and he hadn’t enjoyed her touch. These alphas? Glorious. He fondled tits and rutted against a cock but pulled away before he came in his pants or the alpha thought he could go further.

Their long night ended with their group standing together by the water watching the sun rise across the bridge.

**Derek’s therapist confirms he’s got PTSD. He needs years of therapy but she believes there isn’t a homicidal bone in his body, so that’s good, right?**

“Look at that _view_!” Nick cooed, his voice teasing Stiles out of his anxiety riddled personal life.

“Hm?”

“C’mon you’re not gonna see that in your little four inch screen. You gotta look up!”

Stiles drew his eyes from his dad’s text message and stared at the blue expanse of sky blossoming with color in front of him. His heart ached. He felt guilty for cheating on Derek and he wanted to go home right at that moment and just… be with his alpha. Who didn’t want him. Who had _never_ wanted him, so why did it matter what he did?

“You were an _animal_ out there tonight,” Nick teased, nudging his arm gently.

“Nah,” Stiles denied miserably.

“You _were_. Did you have a good time?” Nick asked, smile big and blue eyes gentle.

 _Why couldn’t my alpha have been like you_?

“Yeah, it was all right.”

_I’m a horrible, pathetic werewolf being._

“’It was all right.’ Why do you do that?”

“What do you mean? Do what?” Stiles asked, blinking back to the conversation from the pit he was quickly descending into.

“Lowball me like that! I’m not going to take away your cool guy card if you admit you give a shit about something or, God forbid, you had a great time.”

 _I’ve never been the cool guy, but now that I’m acting like Jackson people assume I am? What does that say about cool guys? What does that say about_ me _right now?_

Stiles forced on a smile a bit closer to what he’d wear in school with Scott. He could be friends with this Beta. He could have something outside of Beacon Hills and the nightmare that his life was.

“Um… All right, it was fun.”

“Stewie?” Nick sighed as if disappointed.

“What?”

“Come on!”

“Alright. What? What do you want me to say, it was the best night of my life?”

“Only if it’s true!” Nick insisted, and Stiles got another whiff of his scent teasing his nose.

Stiles sighed and made a pathetic admission, “Yeah, okay. It was the best night of my life.”

“Well. There you go,” Nick smiled, hand resting on Stiles’ upper arm.

Stiles swallowed down the longing he had to crawl into Nick’s arms and just _melt_. A few feet away Billy and Neha were bonding and soon ended up leaning against each other. She’d be in his bed that night, that was for damn sure, but Stiles? Stiles was going to sleep alone. Forever. Well, until he had a child on his teat giving him a reason to live.

Thankfully Lyle interrupted them with an irresponsible attempt at sending a beta a dick pic and Nick came up with their winning app. Stiles didn’t want to leave the bridge, but the only place he’d end up going was to program so at least temptation was removed.

Instead, Stiles drove his drunk crew home since he was the only one sober, helped them program the app, and then headed upstairs to stare at the clock. It was morning. He had twenty minutes to go before he had to go downstairs to deal with his future. Twenty minutes was plenty long enough to hold a one-sided conversation with someone up north.

“Hi, Derek?” Stiles cleared his throat a few times and waited.

“Stiles,” Derek stated plainly, and Stiles forced down the longing he wanted to hear in his voice. _It’s not real. He doesn’t care. He’s just in it for your ass and the future Hale babies._

“How are you?”

“In Eichen House,” Derek huffed.

“Yeah,” Stiles stated, “I know. That’s where I called.”

“Your _father_ came and collected me. You promised me, Stiles. You _lied._ ”

“I know,” Stiles stated softly, “I promised a lot of things I couldn’t deliver.”

Derek audibly took a breath, “The baby?”

“No! Fine! Fine!” Stiles stammered, “No, your cub is fine.”

“Cubs,” Derek stated, “Your dad hasn’t stopped telling me that twins run in your family.”

“Gods, I hope so,” Stiles groaned, “I could go on heat meds and just stop… seeing you completely.”

Stiles ended the sentence softly, realizing what he’d said out loud at the last moment, “Yeah.”

“So, you know, break another promise to you,” Stiles pressed, wanting Derek to know but not wanting to tell him.

“Aside from siccing your dad on me, what else was broken?” Derek asked, suspicion rising.

“I… I met someone… out here,” Stiles replied softly, “A beta. He’s… he smells good and when I’m around him my nausea and hot flashes and mood swings they just… stop.”

Stiles swallowed hard, tears starting up as his words were stolen away by smothered sobs.

“You… _what_?” Derek’s voice was a hiss of outrage and shock.

“Nothing’s happened. Not with him. I mean, I gave some strippers a full paycheck too but…”

“ _What?!_ ” Derek’s voice was so loud that his ear popped and for a moment he heard nothing. The last bit he heard loud and clear, “…never, ever touch _anyone_ ever again!”

“You can’t order that,” Stiles choked out, “I have a _life_ outside of your little hobbit hole, Derek. I’m-“

“A cheating whore!” Derek raged.

“ _Lonely!_ ” Stiles shouted back, “I’m lonely and my pack are mad at me and I’m miles away and you don’t fucking _care_ so why are you issuing orders anyway?!”

“I… I…” Derek stammered.

“You know what, just focus on your treatment and I’ll focus on my degree. I’m sorry I called,” Stiles hung up and put the nearest pillow over his face so he could scream into it in frustration.

XXX

Stiles buried himself even further into his work and if he shied away from everyone for a few days, well they didn’t notice. He watched as Nick fell for someone else, as he should, and let himself sleep whenever they weren’t working because he was _pregnant_ not _depressed_ , thank you very much. Neha ended up with Billy despite the age gap, and Stiles chatted with Yo Yo about his massive balls a.k.a. his ability to speak up for himself finally. Stiles felt like everyone had grown throughout the two-month experience except himself. He’d just re-learned skills like teamwork, which he’d had all through high school thanks to lacrosse. He hadn’t even gone up a pant size and he was _pregnant_ , but at least he had a job now in a growing and relevant market.

That night Stiles got on the train to head to his next destination: a sales trip in which he’d go through intense training via instillation, sales, and more direct training with his team leader. The sleeper train was old but comfortable, but scents were bothering Stiles and sleeping in the same carriage with other alphas was torture. Stiles got up in the night and walked down the narrow passage, frowning as he moved towards the end of the carriage. Fresh air would do him good, so he stood outside and took a few deep breaths. His phone buzzed and he checked his messages. It was his father so he headed inside to call him back.

“Hey, dad,” Stiles sighed.

“I’d say sorry to wake you, but I can tell you weren’t sleeping. What’s wrong, son?”

“What’s wrong that you’re calling?” Stiles countered.

“You first.”

“Fine. I’m tired, pregnant, sick to my stomach, pregnant, and did I mention pregnant?”

“And without your alpha,” His father stated.

“Yeah, so why did you call?” Stiles replied shortly.

“Derek’s being released. They want him in my custody as your father. They’re challenging his competency to sign for your occupation and education.”

“Damn it!” Stiles shouted, slamming his fist against the wall. People shouted and a carriage opened, but he hurried away rather than deal with the people he’d awoken. He got into a bathroom where he’d have more privacy and hissed into the phone, “I have to come _home_?”

“He’s been declared incompetent, Stiles. He’s got PTSD. Depression. He’s suicidal.”

“Suicidal?” Stiles paused in alarm, “What? When?”

“In general, I guess,” His father sounded unsure, “Look, the doctors feel his sister manipulated him to the point where he wasn’t responsible for his actions- including creating a kanima and losing his packmates. However, that means he can’t be responsible for an _omega_ , either. Now you fulfilled your half of the bargain- you got bonded and in a family way- so you’re safe to be out and about. You just need permission from your alpha. For now, I’m in charge of Derek, which puts me in charge of you.”

“Okay, so, like… fax me a permission slip!” There was a pause and Stiles instantly knew what was wrong, “Damn it, Dad! This is my _dream job!_ ”

“Being a cop was your dream job,” John countered softly.

“This is _safer_ ,” Stiles insisted, “It’s my back-up dream job. My fantasy job. It was way, way less attainable, but I _got it!_ Amidst hundreds of different applicants, I’m one of _five_ who got in!”

“Stiles, you’re tired and pregnant-“

“And young and healthy!” Stiles argued, “It’s my body, dad. How many times did we talk about that? It’s my body. My mind. _I_ should be in control of it. Me. Me.”

Stiles was crying, angrily and helplessly, because he knew what his father’s decision was already and it _hurt_.

“It’s not just that, son,” John replied softly, “He needs you.”

Stiles’ heart ached in his chest and he leaned against the wall, sobbing and squeezing his arm tightly to stop it from shaking, “I can’t. I can’t. I…”

“You took responsibility for him, just like he did for you. You mated with him Stiles. Had him claim you. You’re carrying his cubs. He _needs_ you. Careers aren’t as important as lives, and I think both your lives are on the line here. I won’t make you but… please come home.”

Stiles wept softly for a few minutes but his father didn’t hang up, simply waiting him out while Stiles mourned his future again, “Okay. Okay at the next stop I’ll get a bus home.”

“I love you, Stiles,” John insisted, “You’ll have more time to be the amazing… whatever the hell you were going to be.”

“Googler,” Stiles laughed a bit.

“Or cop.”

“Or cop. Wait, do you _want_ me to be a cop?”

“I’m a bit excited at the idea of Beacon Hill’s first omega cop so…”

“Yeah, we’ll go Zootopia on the citizens,” Stiles smiled softly, “It’s a deal.”

“Good. Good. I’ll see you soon?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t do anything rash?”

“No, dad. I’m not going to risk my child’s life to punish you or Derek or whatever. I’m not suicidal anymore just… angry.”

“To be honest, having spent a few hours in Derek Hale’s miserable presence… I’m not shocked.”

“Yeah, wait till you see him glower when I walk through the door. His own personal burden.”

“Yeah, well the first thing I’ll do is beat _that_ thought right out of him,” John grumbled, and then hung up without further words.

They were upset, of course. Each member pulled him aside one at a time and tried to convince him to stay, but when he jiltingly spilled the beans they backed off. He was off limits in many ways, not to mention out of options. Stiles took a bus home and arrived late at night, his eyes heavy and his emotions cold. He let himself into his house and walked up the steps to his dad’s room, knocking on the door.

“Hey, I’m home,” Stiles called.

“Kay,” The sheriff grunted from within.

Stiles yawned and headed to his own room, opening the door to be hit with a wave of Derek’s scent. It made him shudder as soothing waves of endorphins flooded his brain. He might have moaned softly, though it was because of the relief from his nausea rather than any kind of arousal. He walked through the door to find Derek lying in his bed, holding his pillow tightly in his arms. He was awake but unmoving. Stiles walked up and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I hear you were declared incompetent,” Stiles whispered, reaching out to brush his fingers through Derek’s hair, “I probably could have told them that when you turned down more access to my sweet, sweet ass.”

Derek snorted but didn’t reply so Stiles nudged him until he moved over and surrendered the pillow. Stiles lay down and pulled Derek’s hand over his belly.

“Here they are. Your babies,” Stiles whispered.

Derek made a soft whimper in the back of his throat and pressed closer, nuzzling into the back of Stiles’ neck. Stiles breathed in deeply and felt his entire body relax. Derek’s mouth opened and hot breath covered the back of his neck, warming his mating bite.

“I’m sorry,” Derek whispered.

“For what?” Stiles asked, honestly baffled.

“Being broken.”

Stiles squeezed his hand, “We’re both broken. I’ve been thinking and maybe my father should raise our cub. Maybe it would be best if… if we weren’t in the picture.”

Derek gripped him gently and Stiles felt him shake his head a bit, “No.”

“Sweet and to the point. I like that.”

“I know,” Derek sighed, “Sleep.”

“Yeah,” Stiles sighed.


	8. Chapter 8

Derek and Stiles sat in couple’s therapy on a small couch that forced them to touch arm and thigh. Stiles wasn’t sure how Derek felt about that, but he was enjoying the relief from his morning sickness and exhaustion. The doctor wanted to teach Derek how to behave with an omega in healthy ways, so he was going to have Stiles and Derek act out a few domestic scenes. Beside them was a play kitchen barely as tall as Stiles’ waist that they were supposed to play house with. Stiles was doing his damndest not to mock the whole proceeding.

Especially since Derek was taking it so fucking seriously. A grown man with biceps twice Stiles’ arm circumference was absolutely ludicrous when presented with a tiny blue plate full of plastic toast and a tea cup. Both fit in one of his hands and Stiles was absolutely going to laugh his ass off if this kept up.

“So, how was your day?” Derek tried.

“Mine?” Stiles blinked, “I thought I was supposed to ask you that.”

“You’re the one who wants to be a cop,” Derek replied with a shrug, “I figured I’d be the house spouse.”

“We aren’t supposed to do stereotypical roles here?” Stiles asked, turning towards the therapist.

“Not unless you want to live them,” The therapist replied, a sweet smelling beta that exuded comfort, “I want you two acting out the roles you want to have. This isn’t about who does what around the house, this is about how you _treat_ each other. Omegas and alphas both have specific needs, and while roles aren’t defined by them they do still exist.”

“Okay,” Stiles nodded, and stood up to walk over to the toy chest where he fished out a tiny police hat and put it on his head, “How do I look?”

“Ridiculous,” Derek replied with a blank stare as he gestured to the seat beside him.

“You know, you two _are_ allowed to laugh,” The therapist replied, “We call it play for a reason.”

Stiles snickered, grinning at Derek who slammed the little cup down and scowled at them.

“This is stupid. I know how to treat him.”

“How?” The doctor asked.

“Like he’s precious!” Derek waved at Stile angrily, “How else did I know that he wants to be a cop? I listen to him. I worry about him. The problem isn’t that I don’t know how to treat him, it’s that everything I touch _dies_.”

“These exercises are to restore your confidence.”

“Not if _neither_ of us can take them seriously!” Derek snapped irritably, “I’m not interested in being made a laughing stock!”

“She’s the one who said I could laugh,” Stiles blamed instantly.

“Well, yeah, because this is _laughable!”_ Derek argued, “There has to be some other way.”

“We could try talking again,” The therapist replied.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Stiles huffed, “He only talks after sex.”

Both Derek and the therapist leveled Stiles with a steady stare.

“What?” Stiles asked.

“You’ve not seen each other in months,” She worried, “You haven’t had sex?”

“Well, no,” Stiles frowned, “Derek’s only interested in heat sex. He wants a family, not an omega.”

The therapist turned to Derek, “Would you like to discuss that, Derek?”

“What? No!” Derek’s ears turned red.

“And this is why we’re playing house,” The therapist replied, “Stiles, please come and join us again.”

Stiles sat down beside Derek and turned towards him, “It was a rough day, but I got through it without getting shot.”

“Fucking hell, Stiles,” Derek huffed, giving him a disgusted look.

“Derek, does Stiles being in a dangerous line of work bother you?” The therapist asked in a neutral tone.

Derek leveled her with a stare meant to freeze oceans solid, paused for dramatic effect, and replied with a forced, “No.”

Stiles snorted, “Well, to be fair I did try to get a _totally safe_ career but my dad made me toss it out to come back here and give this another try. I’ve tried to tell him you don’t want me, but he’s not hearing it.”

Derek gave Stiles one of his patented cold stares and Stiles sighed and rolled his eyes, “What’s for dinner, honey?”

Derek rolled his back, with admittedly more flare, “The hearts of your enemies, _darling.”_

“Don’t you need that to love our _children_?” Stiles growled, narrowing his eyes at Derek.

“The better to not feel your cold and bitter barbs, my _dear_ ,” Derek snarled right back at him, eyes flashing red.

“I wouldn’t be bitter if you actually _gave a fuck_ ,” Stiles snapped, “I tried, Derek. I tried left and right. I went by to just spend time with you and you sent me packing. I let you get all snuggly with me and then take it all back and didn’t call you on your shit. I tried to get you to leave your hellish little hobbit hole and come back to society and you fought me! Now you’re all pissed off because they want you rehabilitated, and you know what? You’re right. It’s my fault. I sent them _right_ to you. Are you happy? Your first instinct was right. I’m the omega nobody wants for a _reason_.”

“No,” Derek said softly.

“No what, Derek?” Stiles snapped.

“No I don’t… I’m not…” Derek struggled, unconsciously snapping the plastic plate and toast into tiny pieces in his hands the way someone else might rip up a piece of paper out of nerves.

“You don’t _what?!”_ Stiles snapped.

The counselor put a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, trying to still his snarling and for once Stiles listened.

“Derek?” The counselor urged, “Do you have something to tell Stiles?”

“I don’t… I’m not…” Derek took a deep breath, eyes anywhere but on Stiles, and he looked downright _terrified_ when he finally got the words out, “I don’t hate you. I don’t… I _do_ … I _do want you.”_

Stiles snorted derisively and the counselor gave him a frustrated glare, “Derek please continue.”

Derek swallowed a few times, clenching his jaw, and Stiles registered the scent of panic. Stiles finally realized just how much this was costing Derek. He was outright terrified of speaking these words to Stiles and the omega suddenly wanted to hear them. He wanted to know what was making Derek frightened and he very much wanted to soothe him. Stiles reached out and put a hand on Derek’s knee and the alpha looked down at it for a moment before carefully reaching down and holding Stiles’ slender hand is his own calloused one.

“I do want you,” Derek said softly, “I want you as my omega. You’re not unlovable I’m just… I’m fucking terrified, Stiles. You’re so perfect. You’re smart and funny and gorgeous and I’m _damaged, Stiles_. Everything I touch dies. Everything I love, I lose. I can’t… I can’t lose you. You’re the only reason I’m even trying. I’d rather die than face another sunrise, but then I think about seeing you and… I just hate that I’m costing you so much.”

“Costing me what?” Stiles asked, completely shocked by Derek’s speech.

“Your happiness,” Derek rubbed his free hand over his face, “You used to _smile_ , Stiles. Even when I was being surly you smiled. You were happy and sweet and funny and I _took that from you._ ”

Stiles shook his head, “Our circumstances are hurting me, Derek. Not you.”

“I am,” Derek shook his head, “I can’t even show you how I feel.”

“So tell me,” Stiles gripped his hand with both of his, “You’re finally talking.”

“You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to get better for,” Derek told him, “Since I lost my family I stopped caring about myself. I couldn’t. I felt so _sick_ with guilt, Stiles. I might as well have murdered them in their beds myself. The _children_ , Stiles. I can still hear them screaming in my dreams and…”

Derek’s free hand moved from his face down to Stiles’ belly and touched the tiny bump there. Stiles swallowed hard. No wonder Derek was so afraid to be in his cub’s lives! No wonder he was terrified to so much as touch Stiles unless his urges were overwhelming him!

“It wasn’t your fault,” Stiles whispered, “Kate Argent killed them.”

“Because of _me_ ,” Derek replied softly, “She was only _there_ because of _me.”_

Stiles didn’t know what to say to that. He’d heard all the stories about how foolishly Derek had behaved. He tried to find something to say but was completely tongue-tied. Thankfully the therapist wasn’t.

“Derek, may I? I think Stiles needs to know the rest of the circumstances.”

Derek glanced at her and shook his head, “It isn’t relevant.”

“I do believe it is,” She replied, “You were taken advantage of, Derek.”

Derek rubbed at his face and Stiles prompted, “What’s she talking about?”

“Kate was older than me,” Derek sighed, “Dr. Morrell insists that I was a victim of sexual abuse and manipulation.”

“Wait, how much older?” Stiles frowned, “You were my age, right? Like… a few years?”

“She was in her late thirties, I think,” Derek shrugged.

“Dude, you were _half her age!”_ Stiles squeaked after doing the math, “Derek, that’s… even if you were _just barely legal_ all her experience means she’s got the ability to seriously mess with someone’s head. How did that info not make it into the papers?”

Derek shrugged and Dr. Morrell shook her head and replied, “People needed someone local to blame so that there wouldn’t be panic over a human crossing the border and killing so many werewolves. It doesn’t excuse the blame going on such a young man for thinking he was in love. After all, you thought the same about Scott, didn’t you Stiles?”

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded, “It’s pretty easy to be confused about who your mate is _before_ all the hormones kick in. Dude, she’s right. Kate Argent took advantage of you. She was totally _planning_ what she did. That’s why she had the chemicals with her and stuff. You were just a dumb kid! Wait, did you and she…?”

Derek’s eyes dropped, “I was a beta so… I didn’t have the same restrictions on sex that you did. My participation in the mating run was voluntary. I figured if I claimed her officially I’d get to keep her despite her being human. Maybe my mother would even agree to turn her but… She never even wanted all that.”

Stiles swallowed hard, “No wonder you’re so hell bent on me keeping my promises.”

Derek stood up, moving away from him to stare out the window, “I’m not some… I’m not…”

“You’re not what?” Stiles asked, standing and rubbing at his baby bump.

“Weak,” Derek faced him irritably, “I’m not some weak, pathetic-”

“Nobody’s saying you are,” Stiles insisted, “But just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you can’t be hurt in some way.”

Stiles crossed to Derek and put his hands on his arm, gripping it gently, “Derek, she’s right. You were _hurt_ , and it’s okay to _be_ hurt. It’s just… I need you to stop hurting _me_. I know you don’t mean to but it tears me up when you aren’t here. If you really think so highly of me than I need you to be _with_ me not just be _around_ me.”

Derek was silent a moment, just staring out the window while Stiles gripped his arm and _hoped_ for the first time in a long time. Then the alpha moved, pulling his arm away from Stiles. At first the omega stepped back, feeling wounded, but Derek caught him up and pulled him against his side. They stood for a moment with Stiles pressed against his chest, breathing in his scent and feeling an instant relief from his pregnancy symptoms. His stomach growled.

“I think that’s where we should call an end to today’s session,” The therapist stated softly, “I’ll leave you two with some homework. Go on a date tonight. Court each other. Talk. If you can manage it, make love. It’s important for your relationship, but it’s also important for yourselves. Each of you needs this in different ways and there’s _nothing_ wrong with that.”

Derek and Stiles left hand in hand. It had been two weeks worth of daily therapy sessions and this was the first time they’d had results instead of arguments or silent staring matches. They’d slept wrapped around each other every night but it had been more of a clinging session rather than a cuddling session. Derek had become aroused more than once- and Stiles was basically always aroused now that the nausea was lessening with Derek’s presence- but there had been no attempts to increase the intimacy.

“So…” Stiles breathed as he buckled himself into his jeep, “Date night, huh?”

“Yeah,” Derek replied softly.

“Where shall we go?”

Derek’s hands clenched and unclenched so Stiles continued.

“Maybe we could stay home for date night?”

“I’m not afraid to go out in public, Stiles,” Derek huffed.

“You’re not?”

“No.”

“Okay, so… where were you thinking?”

Derek considered for a moment, “Is Casa Blanca still open?”

“Yeah, but I’ve never been. It’s pricey.”

Derek nodded, “I’ll take you there.”

“Um…” Stiles frowned, “I don’t have that kind of money, Derek.”

“I do,” Derek stated, “I’ll take you.”

“You got a job?” Stiles asked, “That’s great! Where are you working? What are you doing?”

Derek gave Stiles a confused sideways glance, “My family was rich.”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m rich.”

“You’re rich?”

“Yes.”

“You… what?”

“I’m worth millions, Stiles. Why do you think people keep giving me breaks? I should have been locked up when the Kanima incident happened. Anyone else would have.”

“Whoa, wait, what?” Stiles shook his head, “I’m married to a millionaire and I didn’t even know it?”

“Why do you think your dad’s giving me a shot with you?” Derek shrugged.

“Wait, no,” Stiles shook his head, “No way. My dad’s like that.”

“Why else would someone let me near their omega son?”

“Because you’re my _mate,_ dude,” Stiles insisted, “He wants me to be happy and he knows it’s too late to get rid of you. Trust me, Derek. He’d rather this had never happened but he wants me to be safe and happy. You’re a part of that now whether he likes it or not.”

Derek was silent and Stiles wondered if he’d gone too far, been too honest, but Derek just sat up a little straighter and indicated a road ahead of them.

“Turn here,” Derek stated, “Right.”

“We’re not dressed up,” Stiles pointed out, “It’s a pretty fancy restaurant.”

Derek shrugged, “If you want. We’ll need to stop at a clothing store for me. I only bought a few pairs of jeans and shirts.”

Stiles smirked, “Okay. You can buy _me_ some nice clothes, too.”

Derek nodded and Stiles mentally celebrated. He hadn’t had new clothes, let alone _nice_ clothes, in ages. They ended up going to the mall just outside of town. While Stiles had said he wanted Derek to buy him nice clothes, he was still hesitant to actually shop on someone else’s budget. It took some prodding from Derek before Stiles got excited enough to actually start looking for more than the one initial outfit he’d asked for. Before he knew it they were several hours into their shopping trip and going to another place for food wasn’t happening. Derek settled on mall food, smiling softly as Stiles bounced on the balls of his feet while ordering some Chinese food.

“Hey! Stiles!” Scott called out.

Derek and Stiles both stiffened, turning together to see Scott heading towards them and tugging an anxious Isaac along behind him. While Stiles still spoke to Scott and Derek to Isaac this would be the first time all four were together in the same butt-hurt room. Stiles’ eyes slid over to Isaac and gave him a tentative smile as Scott approached. He no longer hated the omega for taking Scott from him since he knew now that Scott had never been his.

“Hi guys, what’s up?” Stiles asked.

“Scott,” Derek nodded, “Isaac.”

“Derek,” Scott nodded, “Hi, Stiles! How are you feeling? Can I touch your be-“

Scott’s hand moved out towards Stiles’ abdomen but Derek stepped in between them and gave him a dairy-curdling glare. He added a growl in when Scott didn’t back up quickly enough.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Scott frowned, “You do know I’ve seen him naked, right? You’re not hiding anything by not letting me touch his baby bump.”

“He hasn’t _got_ one yet,” Derek argued lamely, “And you didn’t appreciate it when you saw it, so I don’t count that.”

“Aww,” Stiles smiled, “That’s kinda sweet.”

“Why _aren’t_ you showing yet?” Isaac asked, hand moving to the swell of his own abdomen, “Are you okay?”

Stiles’ eyes dropped. He’d been aware of their ‘happy announcement’ but had been purposely avoiding looking down at Isaac’s belly out of intense jealousy. His own pregnancy hadn’t been pleasant so far and Isaac was a source of wounded pride for Stiles still.

“I’m fine,” Stiles smiled softly, “My belly just hasn’t popped yet. Plus I’m not as far along as you are. I skipped my first heat.”

“Oh, sure,” Isaac nodded, “Sure. That makes sense.”

Scott’s hands flew to Isaac’s belly, “You can touch _his.”_

Stiles shook his head. He didn’t really want to touch another omega’s belly. Derek, however, didn’t share that reservation. He stepped forward and put three fingers over the little bump on Isaac’s belly. He had to limit it to three because Scott’s hands were mostly overing all there was to touch so far. Derek stayed there for a count of three and then removed his digits with a shrug.

“I can’t feel anything,” Derek mumbled, pulling his hand back.

“Oh, he goes all still when someone else touches him,” Isaac laughed, “The doctor says it’s normal. They can tell it’s a stranger, apparently. He won’t even kick for Scott yet. Just for me.”

Derek nodded and Stiles could _feel_ his eyes on his own belly. He was also starting to stink of arousal and Stiles was frankly distracted by it and did _not_ want Scott and Isaac around.

“Well, we were just enjoying a _date night_ ,” Stiles reminded, gripping Derek’s forearm, “So we’re gonna grab our food and go sit down.”

“You’re having date night at the mall?” Isaac asked, frowning a bit.

“Yeah,” Stiles grinned.

“Can’t Derek afford better than that?” Scott wondered, glancing at Isaac, “You said he was rich, right?”

“I am,” Derek replied, “But Stiles wanted to go shopping instead of eating at Casa Blanca.”

“Oh, wow, that place is supposed to be amazing,” Isaac sighed.

“Yeah, well, I’m more into shopping, so…” Stiles grumbled irritably.

“I could _never_ afford to eat there,” Scott replied, giving Isaac a nervous look, “I’m more of the shopping type, too. Right Stiles?”

“Yeah,” Stiles gave Derek a worried look, “Shopping.”

Derek frowned at Stiles, “I don’t like shopping.”

“Do you like eating at fancy restaurants?” Stiles tried.

“Yes,” Derek replied sharply.

“So… no cheep mall Chinese food?” Stiles whined.

“Does the _baby_ want cheep Chinese food?” Derek frowned, glancing down at his belly.

“The baby wants sex,” Stiles replied reflexively, “Fuck. I said that out loud didn’t I?”

“I know!” Isaac perked up a bit, eyes lighting up as he _clearly_ tried to distract Scott from giving Stiles a horrified look while Derek blushed, “We should _all_ go to Casa Blanca!”

“What,” Stiles stated flatly.

“Oh, yeah!” Scott’s eyes lit up, “I mean, if that’s okay with Derek? Who is hopefully paying? For his old packmate and his mate?”

Derek scowled at them and Stiles waited for the expected brush off, but it didn’t happen.

“Well, you _are_ Stiles’ best friend,” Derek replied glumly.

Stiles let out an awkward laugh and gripped Derek’s arm, trying to cut in to say that it was _their_ date night and Stiles wanted time alone with him, but Scott and Isaac were cheering eagerly so he couldn’t get word in edgewise. Then they were tugging Derek and Stiles through the doors and Stiles was staring up at a scowling Derek. It seems neither of them were actually happy with this result but it was already in motion so they went along with it. Stiles and Derek climbed into Stiles’ jeep and Isaac and Scott got onto Scott’s cycle.

Stiles took a deep breath, “We suck at communicating.”

“Yeah,” Derek agreed.

“You couldn’t _smell_ how much I didn’t want this on me?” Stiles asked.

“Not until it was too late,” Derek replied, scowling out the window.

“I had to have stank of anxiety the _whole time!”_

“You keep saying he’s your best friend. I thought a relaxing meal would help you two reconnect.”

Stiles gave Derek a soft smile, “That’s actually sweet of you. Thank you. You know what? Let’s go back inside and change into our new clothes and enjoy this.”

Derek’s smile flickered to life for an instant and Stiles felt like he’d won a battle. Scott and Isaac had gone on ahead but they decided to take their time and returned to the mall bathrooms to change. Stiles had realized that he wasn’t going to be fitting in nice clothes for much longer so he’d picked up a dressy pair of maternity pants that could expand as he grew and a very attractive purple shirt that had a slight sheen to it. He’d forgone a jacket. Derek looked absolutely edible in a black suit and a purple tie which perfectly matched Stiles’ shirt. Stiles swooned a bit when he saw him and Derek’s trademark blank face turned into a flirtatious smile. He slid a hand around Stiles’ back and pulled him close to press a kiss to his lips. It was probably meant to be a simple peck, but Stiles leaned in when Derek leaned back and before he knew it he was parting his lips and teasing Derek’s with his tongue. Derek relented and warm muscles slid together as Stiles hummed in relief as he tasted Derek on his tongue. Derek’s grip tightened on his waist, and Stiles gripped Derek’s shoulders and then gasped and pulled back in shock as a flutter moved through his belly. Derek’s eyes widened and shot down to Stiles’ belly.

“What was that?” Derek asked, worry creasing his face, “I heard something from… is the baby… did I hurt…?”

“They _moved_ ,” Stiles breathed, hands going to his belly, “I never felt them until just now! Oh my gosh, that was a _flutter!”_

“Flutter?”

“The baby moving,” Stiles grinned from ear to ear, “They’re too small to kick so they just wriggle and swim around and… Derek that was your cub _moving!”_

“Scott hasn’t even felt…” Derek whispered, staring at Stiles with a look of wonder on his face. He moved closer, squatted down on the bathroom floor, and planted both hands on Stiles’ abdomen. Stiles covered Derek’s hands with his own and choked on a sob as another little swish moved through his belly.

“I can’t feel it, but I can hear it,” Derek breathed, “Our baby.”

“Our _baby!”_


	9. Chapter 9

The dinner was actually fairly relaxing. Stiles and Derek arrived with an entirely new attitude and the decision to keep their baby’s movement to themselves. They wanted to tell John first. Instead they sat back and actually enjoyed themselves. Stiles, Scott, and Isaac took turns danced with the belly dancers and even coaxed Derek into a quick hip wiggle. He got up, rolled his hips and stuck out his ass, laughed at himself and sat back down to watch with that “I’m the powerful alpha, watch me indulge your antics” look on his face. It was probably the happiest look Stiles had ever seen him with and he was eager to get Derek to smile more. He was also surprised at Derek’s five o’clock shadow, which resembled more of a next-morning shadow by Stiles’ estimate. He’d been too busy to stop and shave and apparently werewolves grew facial hair scarily fast. Scott had complained of it before but now that Stiles saw it he loved it. Stiles joined him on the couch in front of the decorative tin tables where their food was served and stroked his cheek with open admiration.

They ate copious amounts of food, until Stiles was groaning and rubbing his food baby situated just a bit over his _real_ baby and Derek was chuckling at his swollen tummy. They left with fond hugs from Stiles for Scott and Isaac and a warm handshake from Derek for Scott. Derek stroked a hand over Isaac’s cheek, lowkey scenting him and Stiles stiffened in alarm but Scott just watched patiently. It wasn’t uncommon for packs to have multiple alphas and for a moment a realization hit Stiles. Derek was an unwilling alpha and Scott was the laid back relaxed leader that most comfortably followed. He already had a small pack formed of mostly misfits in the area and Stiles had been a part of it for ages. Maybe Derek’s actions weren’t the only lowkey scenting going on. Maybe that handshake…?

Derek led Stiles away with a warm hand on his lower back and Stiles felt a warmth in his belly that had nothing to do with all the spicy food. Which Derek would be paying for in another way later on. He held his hand during the drive home, smiling fondly at everything and sundry, but was surprised when Derek told him to take a detour. They turned onto the road that led to the preserve and Stiles soon learned where they were headed.

“Um… is this something you’re okay doing?” Stiles asked, “I mean, maybe Dr. Morrell could be a part of…”

“This place has good memories for me too, Stiles,” Derek told him, “I want more of them.”

“More good memories of a burned down skeleton of a building?” Stiles asked as he stared up at the remnants of the Hale house.

“More memories of this land,” Derek replied softly, “It’s the _land_ that werewolves hold dear, Stiles. You don’t know it because you’ve never lost the house it sits on, but your territory is really more than the building. The building is just what keeps you safe when you sleep at night. It’s the _land_ you live on, even if we have gotten away from that in our society today. Land provides food, air, the fabric we make clothes and bedding from, and frivolous things like flowers to give to your beloved.”

“You going to give me flowers?” Stiles smiled softly.

“Do you want flowers?” Derek asked.

“Not really my thing.”

“I’m… I want…” Derek took a deep breath, “I want _you_ , Stiles. I want what you said earlier.”

“Oh,” Stiles squeaked, recalling his Freudian slip, “Yeah, that. Um. I’d like that too. I mean… someday. When I’m not sporting a food baby.”

Derek huffed and got out of the car, leaning back in for a parting shot, “How are we going to fuck when you’re nine months pregnant if a _meal_ does you in.”

“Who fucks at nine months?!” Stiles squeaked.

“Who _doesn’t_ ,” Derek leered, “You all full of my cubs and every inch of you hypersensitive... not to mention it’s you’ll be horny as hell.”

Derek slammed the door shut and Stiles followed him awkwardly, rubbing his belly as Derek headed into the woods.

“Wait here!” Derek called, and burst into a fast run.

Stiles stood there awkwardly for nearly an hour, leaning against his jeep and occasionally sitting on the bumper. The sun had long since set and the half moon shone above him. Stiles sniffed the air as he caught a whiff of Derek returning. He smelled of hay, pine, and freshly fallen leaves. Stiles hurried towards him and smiled as Derek met him with a broad grin on his face.

“What are you _doing_?” Stiles laughed, “I’ve never seen you like this.”

“I’m _living_ ,” Derek told him, and scooped Stiles up to wrap him around his waist.

Stiles’ arms wrapped tightly around Derek’s shoulders and he leaned in for the expected kiss with a happy hum of desire. Derek indulged him for a moment and then shifted him down and scooped him up bridal style.

“My, my, we _are_ feeling romantic,” Stiles laughed.

“I’m going to treat you the way I should have during the run.”

“I’m not running anywhere,” Stiles scoffed.

“Which is why I’m _carrying_ you to my territory,” Derek told him, “You’re going to be mine tonight.”

“I’m already yours,” Stiles stroked his cheek tenderly.

Derek carried Stiles to a nest made of shorn grass, sweet scented pine needles, and surrounded by a wall of fallen leaves to give them the illusion of privacy. Derek stepped through the gap and laid Stiles down on a soft blanket that smelled faintly of smoke. At some point it had been in the house after it had burnt down, probably to warm Derek while he slept in his family’s ruins before he was welcomed into the Stalinski home since Derek had nowhere else to… go…

“Wait a second?” Stiles sat up a bit just as Derek began to strip off his suit jacket, “You… you said you were _rich_?”

“Yeah, so?” Derek raised an eyebrow, “I am paying your father rent.”

Stiles was momentarily distracted by Derek’s buttons wanting to burst on his shirt as he flexed his arms back to remove the jacket.

“Oh my gods, you’re so fucking built… I mean, no wait. Wait. You made me pay for a _hotel room_ for us!”

Derek paused and gestured around himself, “This is _symbolic_ , Stiles. I’ll take you to a hotel room when you’re too big to lay on the ground and fuck the way nature intended new mates do.”

“Yeah, but you made me _pay_ for a _hotel room_ for us to have _sex in!_ When you’re _rich!_ You’re a bastard!”

“I didn’t have access to-“

“And a prostitute! Because I paid for sex with you!” Stiles pointed out irritably, “You’re a rich whoring bastard!”

“Will you just shut up and let me make love to you?!” Derek snapped, and then winced.

“Do you?” Stiles asked, going still as Derek looked down to unbutton his shirt, effectively breaking eye contact, “Derek? Derek, _do you love me?”_

“I’m your mate,” Derek replied weakly.

“Yeah, and I’m yours, and I’ve been yours since forever but frankly I’ve met someone else who could have been my mate. So excuse me if I have less faith in the process now that it’s basically fucked me over.”

Derek was silent, pulling his shirt off and looking up at Stiles with a raised eyebrow as he searched for more approval from the horny omega.

“Don’t do that. Don’t distract me. I’m not falling for it, Derek. I want to know. Now. Do you love me?”

Derek leaned forward, framing Stiles with his strong arms as the omega let his head fall back down to the padded ground beneath him.

“Stiles, I’m not ready to be an alpha. I’m not even ready to be an _adult_ , but in less than a year we’re going to be parents.”

“Shit, yeah we are, and I’m scared as hell,” Stiles replied shakily, “But what’s that got to do with…?”

“Yes,” Derek replied softly, “Yes, Stiles, I’m in love with you. I’m not ready for that either, but I _am_. What are you going to do about it?”

“Have _really_ amazing sex with you?” Stiles offered with a note of uncertainty in his voice.

“And then?”

“Um… raise our babies and be totally awkward but determined parents?”

“Precisely,” Derek replied, “Starting with a _proper_ mating. Which involves you _taking off your damn clothes.”_

“I’m pregnant and full of food. You take off my damn clothes,” Stiles choked out, sniffling as his hormones made him weepy at the worst of moments.

Derek _smiled._ Actually smiled! Again! Stiles laughed through his tears as Derek unbuttoned his shirt and went straight down to unbuttoning his pants without un-tucking his shirt. Derek’s hands were shaking as Stiles arched his back and he slid both pants and underwear down his thighs. His hands moved quickly up and grasped Stiles’ buttocks just staring down at his bare body in awe.

“You’re beautiful,” Derek breathed, leaning down and pressing kisses along his hipbones.

“I’m a combination of skinny and fat,” Stiles pointed out, “My belly is just… this little bump.”

Derek moved up to mouth along his abdomen, tongue pressing too hard to tickle and sending electric up Stiles’ spine. Derek hummed and then moaned deeply as he lathed a tongue around Stiles’ belly button. Stiles tangled his fingers in Derek’s hair and scratched his scalp gently. His teeth dropped as Derek’s worship of his belly sent his wolf into wriggling yips of pleasure.

“Oh gods, Derek,” Stiles gasped, “I take it back. Sex is on. Full speed ahead!”

“You’re delicious,” Derek growled, crawling up his body, “I want you wrapped around me. Stiles, _I need you.”_

“My pants are still wrapped around my ankles,” Stiles mumbled against Derek’s lips.

Derek snickered and shifted up to remove the rest of Stiles’ clothes and then undo his own trousers. Stiles eagerly got his hands in on the action and slid them up and down Derek’s chest before delving into his boxer briefs. He pulled Derek’s erection free and absolutely did _not_ squeal at the feel of it in his hand.

“Did you just squeal?” Derek asked, judging him with his eyebrows.

“What? Pssh. No. Don’t be silly. You’re gonna knot me, right?”

“Absolutely,” Derek nodded, “You okay with that? Deaton said it was safe.”

“Yeah, totally safe. We just… we _really_ need to do that. A lot. Like, a whole lot with the knot.”

Derek smiled as he lay gently over Stiles’ body, mindful of his belly, and captured his lips in a long, deep kiss. Stiles melted beneath Derek, sinking down to relax in the warmth and comfort of his mate’s body. Stiles’ body was already prepping for Derek, the crease of his ass growing damp as desire opened his body. Derek’s hand moved down Stiles’ torso, caressing his side, hip, and moving towards the swell of his ass. Stiles spread his legs wider to welcome him in and Derek moaned in appreciation, getting a firm grip on Stiles’ ass and rubbing his erection along Stiles’ length to relieve some of the pressure they both felt. Stiles whimpered and Derek growled happily.

Derek mouthed along Stiles jaw and down to his neck, lapping at their mating mark as Stiles whined in obvious desire and eagerly lifted his legs around Derek’s hips. Derek was still lazily rolling his hips and the new angle slid his cock down to rub between Stiles’ cheeks. The tip caught against his skin and then slid through the slick as Stiles’ arched to meet him. Derek bit lightly at his mating mark, groaning in desire as the omega gasped and clutched at him.

“Derek. C’mon, it’s been ages. I’m _dying_ here.”

“I want to savor-“

“I want to _come!”_

Derek chuckled against his shoulder and moved his hand from the soft swell of Stiles’ ass to the omega’s entrance. He slid a finger along his cleft, drawing a groan from Stiles as he slowly slid his finger into his entrance. Stiles clenched instinctively and then forced himself to relax so Derek could open him up. It didn’t take much with how aroused he already was and soon Derek was guiding himself into Stiles’ eager body.

“Oh, fuck yes,” Stiles moaned as Derek slid partway in before shifting out to work himself in deeper, “Yeah, that’s it. Balls deep, baby.”

Derek moaned in agreement and a moment later his hips were snapping as he set about _finally_ fucking Stiles into the ground the way- as Derek had put it- nature had intended. Stiles could easily imagine that this was his first time and that Derek would soon trigger his heat and mate with him properly. He felt Derek’s teeth on his neck and gasped in excitement as his knot began to grow.

“Yes!” Stiles cried out, “Yes, claim me! Fuck, Derek! Want to be your mate _so bad!”_

Derek snarled and bit just hard enough to break skin but not as deeply as he had to claim Stiles initially. It was enough to bring Stiles off, the imagery of Derek in the woods ravaging him for the first time and laying claim driving the omega wild. Stiles howled as his cock pulsed between them and Derek knotted him with a gasp of relief. For a moment they were locked together in complete sync as Derek spilled into Stiles body while the omega clutched him close with both arms and the grasp of his body. Then Stiles took in a shuddering breath and let it out on a sigh of relief and Derek began to rock into him to chase his next climax.

“Oh, wow,” Stiles moaned, “This is… _Derek_.”

Stiles reached between them to work himself, eager to join Derek as he writhed on top of him in bliss. Omegas had repeat orgasms but for Derek there was one long release that built up until his knot finally went down. The alphas eyes were glazed and he was gasping for breath with each movement of his hips. A moment passed where nothing mattered except chasing release. Derek was lost to his own passion while Stiles was frantically chasing his own pleasure. Stiles let out a choked sound and then Derek threw his head back to repeat Stiles’ claiming howl and the motion pressed Derek perfectly against Stiles p-spot. Light flashed behind the omegas eyes and he keened as his body clenched tightly to Derek’s knot. The grasp had the alpha filling him up faster and Stiles groaned as his already full body was put under more pressure.

“Derek,” Stiles gasped, “I really need to lie on my side, okay?”

Derek nodded, still panting as his body shivered with excitement. He rolled them gently, cradling Stiles against him and stroking his hair as he tucked the omega’s face against his neck.

“Love you,” Derek breathed.

“Love you, too,” Stiles breathed, nuzzling against him tenderly.


	10. Chapter 10

“Lullaby, and goodnight,” Stiles sang softly as he rocked his little girls to sleep, “Go to sleep little baby…”

Derek paused in the doorway and Stiles smiled up at him fondly, “They asleep?”

“Not yet. I’m not so sure they sleep. I think they just lay in wait until I nod off so their screams jar me awake harder than if they’d done them while I was conscious.”

“That makes perfect sense,” Derek nodded seriously, “You want a break?”

“Oh my gosh, yes,” Stiles sighed, “They’re fed and burped, they just need to get to sleep.”

“I’m on it. Go get some rest, sweetheart.”

Stiles gave Derek a peck on the cheek as he passed and by the time the alpha returned to the bed the omega was out cold. He hadn’t even completely undressed. He was still wearing his robe and one slipper and there was drool on his chin. He was perfect. Derek smiled as he dragged him closer to the top of the bed and then climbed in and lay down beside him. He wrapped his arms around his beautiful mate and closed his eyes. He felt as if he’d only just drifted off when the screams of his daughters jolted him awake.

“Oh my gods, Stiles was right,” Derek gasped, heart hammering.

“Told you. Pure evil comes from my loins.”

“I love them anyway,” Derek groaned, sitting up as he headed for the doorway.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Stiles groaned, “It keeps you from crying when they pee in your mouth.”

“I love you, too,” Derek laughed.

“Even with pee in my mouth?”

“Rinse first,” Derek chuckled, “Go back to sleep.”

“Already done,” Stiles sighed.

Derek smiled warmly and returned to the nursery to sooth their cubs, petting them lovingly before picking each up and changing them. He rocked them to sleep with a bottle warmed in the kitchen, the benefit of the nursery being on the first floor. Derek couldn’t believe how small they were. Each fit in one arm if he held them just so and he couldn’t take his eyes off of them. They still smelled mostly of Stiles and milk but their unique scent was coming through as well. He nuzzled each of them as he laid them out in their cribs in a tight swaddle.

“Goodnight, my beautiful cubs. Thank you for giving me a chance.”

 

ALTERNATE TIMELINE

 

_I should have begged him. I should have told him I wanted to mate. Why did I push him away?_

_Because you knew you weren’t good for him_ , Laura’s voice whispered angrily in his head, _Because you’re cursed. Because he looked at you like you hung the moon but you know full well that being around you would tear it from the sky._

“Stiles,” Derek sighed, his lips forming the words without his control on a regular basis. He felt like it was the only word he said anymore and every time he spoke it made his heart ache.

“You rang?” Stiles’ voice chirped.

Derek jumped and spun around.

Stiles looked so strange in clothes. Derek had never seen him dressed and the sexy little twink didn’t look right in skateboard shoes and a flannel overshirt. Stiles should be wearing tight jeans and an even tighter shirt… preferably stretched over his cub-swollen belly.

“Stiles,” Derek choked out, and then carefully restrained himself from running at him and clutching him tightly.

“I just wanted to let you know I didn’t conceive,” Stiles told him, “I know it was a longshot, but I didn’t want you wondering if you had a cub out there.”

“Thanks,” Derek growled out gravelly, “It’s good to know. Reassuring.”

“Yeah,” Stiles’ eyes dropped and he swallowed a few times, “Nice burrow.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m getting mated to Jordan Parrish tomorrow,” Stiles told him, “He and my father cut a deal. He doesn’t care that I’m soiled.”

“Alpha?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s… good. You’ll live a long life.”

“Yeah. Long… long life,” Stiles replied, reeking of despair.

“I never got to thank you for cleaning me up. For letting me share your heat with you.”

“Yeah, about that,” Stiles rubbed at his neck, “I’m sorry I was so annoying the whole time. I thought it would be better for you, you know? Not like… painful and stuff.”

“You weren’t…” Derek gave him a half shrug, “It wasn’t painful.”

“You were so glad when it was over,” Stiles laughed bitterly.

“Yeah, because my dick was starting to seriously hurt and I was tired of not having any blood in my brain,” Derek tapped the side of his head.

“And my constant chatter,” Stiles reminded him.

“Well…” Derek shook his head, “I _did_ just say my brain wasn’t working well.”

“What do you mean?”

“How’m I supposed to hold a conversation with my brain in my _crotch_?” Derek replied, “I was a fucking Neanderthal, Stiles. It was embarrassing.”

“You talked a _lot,_ dude,” Stiles huffed, “You taught me a shit ton about survival. That’s how I found you in the middle of fuck-all-forest. I learned a lot from you.”

“You don’t think I’m stupid?” Derek asked.

“No!” Stiles scoffed.

“Well,” Derek shrugged, “Sorry you thought I didn’t like your voice. It’s a nice voice.”

“Yeah?” Stiles asked, shifting from foot to foot.

“Yeah,” Derek replied, turning back to his garden, “I hope Parrish likes it, too.”

Stiles sighed as Derek continued towards the vegetable patch, carefully weeding it and studying his plants for rot. He heard the omega come closer and caught the faint scent of his father and another alpha on Stiles’ clothes.

“Is there anything my nice voice could say to make you reconsider?” Stiles asked, his voice strained with misery.

Derek turned around in shock, horrified to see Stiles choke out a sob. His arms were wrapped around himself tightly and he was shaking as he broke down right then and there. Derek stayed kneeling in the dirt, not sure what to do with a weeping omega. Stiles dropped down to a crouch, wrapping his arms around his knees and laying his eyes over them to let his tears soak into his jeans.

“Anything?” Stiles sobbed.

“Reconsider… what?” Derek asked.

“B-being with me?” Stiles wailed into his legs, “P-please? Anything. I’ll like… give up on the cop thing and live out here. I’ll be quiet _whenever_ you ask. I’ll only talk when you want. Fucking _anything_!”

“Stiles,” Derek stammered, “I don’t want you to… to… to give up your _life_ for me!”

“What _life_?!” Stiles screamed, then straightened up and faced Derek with a mixture of wrath and misery that had the alpha standing up and scrambling away from him in alarm, “I have _nothing,_ Derek! Jordan will let me work, but what _for_? What’s the point of anything when my stupid fucking heart is out here with _you?!”_

Derek’s head was reeling. All he could see were Erica and Boyd’s mangled bodies, destroyed by the kanima that had run wild a few years back. They’d died to protect _him_ because he was too weak to protect _them_. A hopeless, pathetic excuse for an alpha, Laura had told him. Hell, he’d been the one to _create_ the kanima, and they’d never even figured out who was controlling the monster. It certainly hadn’t been Derek!

Laura’s scathing words haunted his ears as Stiles choked down his sobs, staring him down as anger suffused his sadness until he was staring at Derek with hate in his eyes instead of longing. It felt far more natural to Derek who just waited for the screaming to start, but Stiles shook his head and stepped closer to him.

“You know what? By next year, you’ll be an omega,” Stiles told him scathingly, “All that power you could have had _wasted_. And some alpha will stumble on your little camp and just… just _take_ you. Then you’ll know. You’ll know what it’s like to be a slave to your biology, to be destroyed by the very idea that an alpha doesn’t want you. To be _doomed_ to let yourself be mounted and bred because if you don’t you’ll fucking _die!_ When that alpha drags you into town by your oversized eyebrows I’ll be there, miserable in my stupid arranged marriage, and do you know what I’ll do then?”

“Throw it in my face?” Derek shrugged.

“No,” Stiles shook his head, “That might be what you deserve, but it’s not what I’ll do.”

“What will you do?” Derek wondered, honestly curious.

“I’ll be the friend Scott couldn’t be to me,” Stiles told him, “I’ll let you come over and cry on my shoulder and rub your feet while your pregnant with his cubs. I’ll tell you not to kill yourself when you aren’t getting any sleep because you’re surrounded by screaming children, and the alpha you _don’t love_ is demanding more from you than you have to give. I’ll do that, because I’ll probably be in the same damn boat and frankly? I’m as much to blame as you are.”

“You… you are?” Derek asked in surprise.

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded, “I asked for it. I _begged_ for you to take me, knowing full well that you were too messed up to be the alpha I needed. I thought I could just go home and off myself and you’d be none the wiser. Completely guilt free.”

“Stiles,” Derek choked out, eyes widening almost painfully, “Don’t. _Please_ don’t!”

“I won’t,” Stiles told him, “because as much as I’d love to, _people love me_ and I can’t just leave them behind.”

“I… I don’t want that.”

“Of course you don’t,” Stiles huffed, “I’ve got an entire class full of omegas who are eager and excited to be fat with cubs, but you and I? Nope. No way. Not interested. Except it’s the lot I have in life to _crave_ babies and _you_ , and apparently it’s the lot _you’ve chosen_. So suck it up, Derek. It’s not like _you_ weren’t given a _choice!”_

“You’re right,” Derek stated softly, nodding as guilt tore through him, “I was given a choice, but every time I try to do something besides eat, hunt, and sleep, something goes horribly wrong. Stiles, I’m a disaster. I’m a _curse_.”

“Says you? Or says _Laura_?” Stiles asked. Derek winced and Stiles glowered at him, “That’s what I thought. So here you are, ruining your chance to be with someone who _actually appreciates and loves you_ because of your insecurities. Hey, I get it. I’m not exactly the most stable guy in the world. I mean, you _met_ me trying to hang myself. We’re a pair, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Derek replied softly, “You really love me?”

“Well, yeah,” Stiles shrugged, “When you’re not avoiding responsibility like a total bitch.”

Derek’s nose wrinkled in frustration, “I’m not _avoiding_ anything!”

“Yeah, you are. _Life_ , Derek. You’re avoiding life. I might want to kill myself, but you? You’re already dead. See you in a year, Sourwolf.”

Stiles turned to leave, but Derek let out a sudden gasp and darted forward, grasping his upper arm.

“Wait!”

Stiles paused, looking back with hope in his eyes.

“I’m… I’m a _horrible_ alpha, but…”

“But you haven’t had a _chance_ ,” Stiles insisted, “The kanima-“

“Never mind that!” Derek waved his hand to cut Stiles off, “When I went to court they wanted me to give up my alpha ability, right? They ruled I wasn’t fit for it.”

“Yeah?” Stiles frowned, “You refused. I saw the case on the news.”

“Yes, because my uncle _killed and died_ for that power. Regardless of how horribly it was attained, and the way I had to take it from him by ending his life, it’s _Hale_ power. It’s the last legacy my family has!”

“Which you’re just going to let fade away when you become an omega. We’ve been over this,” Stiles sighed.

“Not if I give it to _you_ ,” Derek gave Stiles’ arm a shake as the young omega gaped at him.

“Wh-what?”

“Think about it, Stiles,” Derek stated, stepping into his space with eyebrows lowered and eyes burning with intensity, “You could become an alpha. You’d have your freedom. You could become a cop. Your dreams would be reality, and I…”

“You could be my mate, guilt and worry free,” Stiles breathed, “No worries about being a good alpha or having to care for everyone around you. You’d just be mine. My mate. Raising _my cubs_. Could you do that?”

“Raise your cubs?” Derek asked, eyes flickering in concern, “I was a beta before. I never expected to… I mean, I’d always hoped to find a beta and have a family but… I destroy everything and…”

“ _You_ don’t destroy everything,” Stiles insisted, “Shit happened, Derek! I get that you don’t want to be a leader or something but, can you trust _me_ to take care of you?”

Derek paused, eyes lowered as he thought that through for a moment. He trusted Stiles. He was young and naive, but he wasn’t a fool and he had the confidence and resources that Derek lacked. Finally Derek lifted his eyes to meet Stiles’ wide, hopeful ones and nodded.

“Yes. I trust you. I know you wouldn’t let me ruin anything again.”

Stiles’ eyes flickered through several emotions before settling on sadness, and his hand slid up Derek’s arm to cup the back of his neck and pull him down. Rather than kissing he rested their foreheads together.

“Derek, you didn’t ruin _anything_.”

“My family and two teens are dead because of me,” Derek told him, “They were _my_ betas. The human I turned fucking _murdered them_.”

“You were a _kid_ when that hunter bitch manipulated you, which makes _you_ a victim, too! And the kanima killed because someone else was controlling him, Derek! _That_ person is responsible and…”

Stiles’ eyes widened and Derek caught the sudden change in his scent as excitement ratcheted up.

“What?” Derek asked.

“I think I know who it was,” Stiles whispered.

“The kanima’s master?” Derek asked, eyebrows furrowed, “How? Who?”

“They never caught them, Derek. Someone who was hell bent on murdering people wouldn’t just _stop!_ ”

“Well, no…”

“So they had an agenda. Whom did they go after?”

“My pack,” Derek choked out.

“Except Isaac,” Stiles pointed out.

“Yeah, except Isaac. His father was murdered, but not him.”

“His father was abusive, right? I remember the neighbors gossiping and my dad was always trying to get CPS down there to do something about it but Isaac wouldn’t cooperate and they had no evidence.”

“Y-yes?” Derek shook his head, “That’s why I took him on as a beta. I wanted a pack that understood pain and anguish like I did and-“

“And he wouldn’t do the whole pack sleep thing with you, right?”

Derek frowned, “No, he slept with us.”

“With _you both_ , or with _you?”_

“With… with me. I mean, not _sexually_ , but-“

“Yeah, I got that,” Stiles waved his hand dismissively, “But he wouldn’t cuddle with _Laura.”_

Derek took a big step back as his stomach plummeted, “Stiles… you can’t mean…”

“She degraded you, Derek. She put you down at every breath, but she took you out of town instead of convincing you to give up your power. In fact, seeing as how you pretty obviously don’t want it, I’m guessing she _talked you into keeping it_.”

Derek nodded, feeling the blood drain from his face, “She did.”

“And I wasn’t even there 24 hours before she was all up in my bizniss,” Stiles stated with a slur on the last word, “She acted omega starved, but omegas came through the woods _all the time_ and she knew not to get me started on my heat.”

“You think… you think she _wanted_ to be out here? That she was, what? Assaulting omegas that came through?”

“And no one was the wiser because as long as she didn’t trigger their heat they would just wash up and go find an alpha to protect them from her. They’d be too ashamed to say anything.”

“You think she abused Isaac, too?” Derek asked with narrow eyes.

“I think she made him _not_ want to cuddle with her, and not with you when she was awake.

“You think she was trying to turn him into an omega,” Derek breathed, “The way she treated him… it makes sense. She was always triggering his fears… the freaking _den_ we had was so small and we _had_ the ability to make it bigger but…”

“So he’d always be afraid. Always be shying away from confrontation and from _her_. He’d go to you only when she was asleep, and that wasn’t enough to keep him a beta.”

“Except he escaped and found Scott.”

“And I showed up and stole you away.”

“And last time I got even close to having a pack I accidentally made a kanima-“

“Who _she_ used to kill off your pack and get you tossed out of town!” Stiles spat out, “She’s trying to keep you indebted to her. Always vulnerable. Always needing your big sister to clean up your messes. Messes _she caused._ ”

“Except,” Derek shook his head as doubt filled him, “She didn’t take me back. I went limping back with my tail between my legs and she turned me away.”

“Yeah, because she knew you’d come back,” Stiles told him, “She had you _right_ where she wants you. She can now go find herself the omega she wants- now that Isaac is out of her reach- and… and… oh my gods.”

“What?” Derek asked.

“Scott!” Stiles choked out, “She’s going to kill _Scott!_ To get Isaac back! I have to stop her!”

Stiles turned to run for town but Derek grabbed his arm and pulled him back, “Then you’ll need this.”

Stiles blinked in confusion when Derek didn’t hand him anything, but he knew he’d feel it in a moment. Then it was happening. Derek was siphoning off pain that didn’t exist and by doing so was pushing his alpha ability into Stiles’ body. Stiles gasped, eyes widening.

“Derek… are you sure?”

“Yes,” Derek nodded, face twisted in concentration as he forced his energy into Stiles’ body. It was a bit painful, but he was determined now, “Just… promise you’ll claim me?”

“Are you kidding?” Stiles whispered, cupping his jaw, “The second my eyes turn red.”

Derek pushed harder, dropping to his knees as he panted through the drain that was taking his uncle’s alpha ability and turning it over to Stiles.

“Give one of our cubs the Hale name?” Derek laughed brokenly through the pain that was radiating up his arm.

“Absolutely,” Stiles promised, “Um… in fact, most of them. Maybe all of them. I mean, _Stilinski_? Seriously, my dad should have taken my mom’s last name.”

Derek’s mouth twisted, but it was more with pain than humor. Stiles’ hand caressed his hair, gently stroking it to sooth him through his pain.

“Is it awful?” Stiles asked with worry in his eyes.

Derek blinked back tears, “It’s sort of… weirdly emotional? And painful? I can deal with it… knowing you’re here.”

“I’m here,” Stiles breathed, dropping to his knees and wrapping his free arm around Derek’s shoulders, “I’m here handsome. I’ve got you.”

“ _Stiles_ ,” Derek sighed in the same tone of voice he’d been letting out for weeks, “I’m going to be so good to you.”

“Me too. I’ll be so good to you, Derek,” Stiles soothed, nuzzling his cheek with his nose.

“It’s going to be _really weird_ taking it up the ass,” Derek groaned, laughing a bit.

“You’ll learn to love it,” Stiles chuckled, “I know I did!”

“Flatterer.”

“Someone’s got to bring your self esteem up,” Stiles teased.

“Yeah,” Derek breathed.

His body was shifting. It felt like his dick was drawing up into his body, but it was probably just shrinking. His balls tightened and he felt a jolt of pain from them. They wouldn’t ascend into his body, but they were changing from the huge cajones he’d had to beta testicles. After that the change became less painful and more _weird._ Omega balls were smaller so he got another jolt of pain, but it was the building of his birth canal that had Derek squirming. It felt like his butthole was flexing and then something was pushing into it even though there was nothing there. Like pooping in reverse.

“What the _hell_?” Derek whined, shifting miserably.

“Are you okay?” Stiles worried.

“Yeah just… feel weird.”

“Hospital weird or cartoon weird?” Stiles asked.

Derek gave him a baffled look, but Stiles’ frustrated expression implied he had no idea how to make his bizarre comparison more clear, “Alien probe weird.”

“Dude!” Stiles’ eyes widened, “That sucks!”

“Yeah, a b-bit,” Derek hissed, “Shit, I think I need to… go…”

“Are we done or… should we like maneuver to a tree and…”

Derek let out a gasp of relief as it finally, _finally_ stopped and he sagged against Stiles in relief. Stiles’ arms wrapped around him and the omega let out a soft breath.

“Woah,” Stiles breathed, “I feel weird.”

Derek snorted, “Hospital weird, or cartoon weird.”

“Cartoon weird. Definitely. Now let’s go make Laura feel hospital… well, just in need of a hospital. Making someone feel hospital weird sounds super non-con.”

“Right,” Derek laughed, “Except I can’t move.”

“Okay,” Stiles nodded, “You stay here and…”

Stiles stiffened and hissed through his teeth just as Derek whimpered.

“ _After_ I claim you,” Stiles decided.

Stiles scooped Derek up bridal style, let out a whoop and shouted about how incredibly strong he was, and carried the former alpha into his own den. Derek was laid down amongst his own blankets where he placed his hands behind his head and smirked up at Stiles.

“Have your way with me, big bad alpha.”

“Oh my gods, that’s hot. That. That’s what I want. Don’t ever be all meek and squeaky. _Challenge me_ , Derek. I want you to tell me off when you think I’m being stupid and speak up when you have an opinion and-“

“Stiles?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up and claim me, idiot.”

“Right! Claiming! Sorry!”

Stiles straddled Derek’s hips, then realized what he was doing and laughed at himself. He pushed Derek’s legs apart with his knees while waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Derek rolled his eyes _hard_ and glared at Stiles who immediately set about pulling his own overshirt and shirt off. Then he reached for Derek’s only to find he’d tugged it off while Stiles’ vision had been blocked. Stiles’ hands made contact with skin and he groaned as he ran those long fingers over muscled flesh.

“You still _look_ like an alpha,” Stiles moaned.

“I can still _fight_ like one, too,” Derek growled, “ _Claim me!”_

The craving to have Stiles in possession of him was absolutely overwhelming. Derek _needed_ the alpha to see his worth. He needed him to lust after him and sate that desire inside his body. Derek felt a strange ache in his abdomen and wondered if it was his new womb craving something more…

Stiles stretched across Derek’s body, one hand braced above his head while the other slid up his body and turned his chin with the barest pressure. Stiles was hard in his pants and Derek shamelessly rutted up against him. Stiles groaned as he mouthed at Derek’s neck until he found the right spot, wolfed out, and sank his teeth in with a choked off grunt as if _he_ were the one being bitten.

Derek shivered as Stiles’ claim took root, his very essence finding a link to Stiles that would connect him to his alpha forever. Derek’s hands flew down to grasp Stiles’ ass and he moaned deeply while thrusting up against him in search of friction. Stiles lapped at his wound until it healed, his own breath coming in hot pants.

Derek’s cock was throbbing with want and Stiles was apparently more than game. Stiles leaned back and almost tore the button off of Derek’s jeans before he rescued them. Stiles yanked them off and then shoved his own trousers down. His cock was swelling, his knot just starting to form, and Stiles’ eyes were glazed with lust. Derek put his arms up and grinned savagely, teeth showing and eyes flashing omega blue. Stiles’ eyes glowed red in response and he let out an open mouthed growl that was almost a roar in response to the aggressive behavior from an omega.

Derek loved it and Stiles was absolutely enthralled judging by how he flipped Derek over, parted his cheeks, and buried his face in Derek’s ass with a hungry growl. Derek moaned as Stiles’ tongue flattened against his asshole before beginning to prod and push hungrily.

A/N This version wasn't going anywhere I liked so I abandoned it. Feel free to take it up if you like it. 

 


End file.
